


Mountains Shelter Secrets

by OmniAni



Series: Take My Hand And Home We'll Go [2]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Canon Rewrite, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Reader-Insert, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-16
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-10-10 23:03:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 16
Words: 56,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17435162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OmniAni/pseuds/OmniAni
Summary: Y/N Kane is trapped inside a secretive mountain inhabited by secretive people and has no idea if the rest of her friends are alive. Stakes are high as she tries to uncover the secrets of the mountain and save the rest of her people without dying. Welcome to season 2 of the 100.





	1. The 48

**Author's Note:**

> As always, change the pronouns if you don't identify with she/her! Hope y'all are ready for the second installment of my Bellamy Blake series! It's gonna be fun. Maybe a bit from Bellamy's POV. Not sure yet. Hope you enjoy! BTW this is the second in a series so be sure to read the first story before you continue with this one!

It had been two days.  At least, I was pretty sure. I lost track of time. The lighting never changed. Every now and then, the door would open and they'd bring in a fresh plate of bland food, usually while I was asleep. Boredom gnawed at my mind. At one point there was a book left on the battered couch. I waited as long as I could to not touch it, not give these people the satisfaction. But just as had happened whenever I didn't eat the food, my boredom got the better of me and I picked up the book. 

Fahrenheit 451. Really old book. I'd heard a lot about it on the Ark. Apparently it was very popular with my ancestors, and as I read it, I could understand why. Books were fantastic. And I felt a bit of kinship with the main character. I too would drop everything to preserve culture - or in my case, my friends - at the cost of my life. 

By the time I'd read the book through for the fifth time, I couldn't take it anymore. Out of my mind with boredom, frustration, and absolute crushing worry for my friends, I chucked the book at the door. I let out a scream, hoping it would make me feel better. All it did was make me angrier. 

I rolled off the couch and turned to the security camera. I wasn't sure if they could hear me, but I didn't care. 

"HEY!" I shouted, seething with fury. "HEY assholes! What the fuck do you want with me? Where are my friends?" 

Of course, no one answered. I pounded on the door, just to make my point, but it did nothing. As I stared out the window, dread seeped into my bones. The door across from mine was wide open, and someone was inside, cleaning it out in a hazmat suit. My eyes widened and a torrent of horrible thoughts overtook my mind. 

"HEY!" I pounded on the door, my throat going raw with screaming. The person didn't seem to hear me. "HEY! Where's Jasper? WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO HIM?" 

Still, the person didn't even turn around. Wildly, I looked around for something to break the glass with. My eyes fell upon the IV stand I'd been attached to when I first woke up in here. I grunted, acknowledging the stupidity of the idea, and then proceeded to follow through. Glass shattered. Shards fell to the floor around me. I tried to clear away as much of the sharp edges as I could. I reached down and unlocked the handle, then pushed the door open. 

Heart hammering in my chest, I stared at what was Jasper's room to find it closed again, and the person gone. Just to be safe, I grabbed a rather large shard of glass and gripped it tight in my hand. Adrenaline pounded in my veins as I slowly stepped out of the white room into the gray hallway. I winced at the cold touch of the stone on my bare feet. Looking up and down the hall, I decided to head to my left. Drops of blood dripped from my fingertips to the ground, leaving a trail, but I didn't care. I just gripped tighter to the glass, ignoring the stinging in my palm. 

Rounding the corner, I found myself face to face with another worker, maybe the same one I'd just seen in Jasper's room. We stared at each other for a moment, and then I made my move. Driven only by the fear and concern for my friends, I raced to the person and ripped their mask off. Terror filled his eyes, and he started pleading for me to stop, something about contamination. 

I shoved him against the wall and pressed the shard against his throat. More blood spilled over the palm of my hand. My own. That was too much blood, way too much. The cut was deepening, but I didn't care. 

"Where the hell are my friends?" I spat, ignoring the rising guilt in my core at his terrified state. He was just a kid, no older than I, but that didn't mean he wasn't the enemy. Murphy was hell. These people could be too. 

The boy whimpered, and reached for a card on the outside of his hazmat suit. Before he could grab it, I snatched it and pressed the glass into his neck, drawing a thin line of blood. I scanned his cart and saw a mop. Probably wouldn't work, but I felt I had just enough crazed rage that it would. I pulled away from him and grabbed the mop, swung it at his head with as much force as I could and he crumpled to the ground, unconscious. 

Breathing heavily, I dropped the mop and scooped up my shard of glass again. It was much redder. I raced through the maze of hallways until I came upon what looked to be an elevator. Revving with energy, I felt like I was on another plane of existence, waiting for the elevator to open. When it finally did, I had no idea what floor to go to, or which one I was on, for that matter. I took a wild guess and pressed the button for one. 

To my surprise, the elevator began to rise. Out of nervousness, I gripped ever tighter to the shard of glass, so tight that an explosion of pain far more agonizing than the hot stinging before erupted in my palm and up my wrist. I let out a tense scream of pain and dropped the glass. Blood poured from the deep wound in my hand, stretching down to my wrist. 

Too much blood. Way too much. 

The doors opened, and I found several guards with guns standing there, ready for me. I tried to fight them as they grabbed my arms, but there were too many of them. One of them raised the butt of their gun, and then everything went dark. 

* * *

When I awoke, I wasn't back in my room as I'd expected. I was in a room just as bright, sitting on a bed surrounded by several other empty beds. Empty, save for one right next to me; a person all too familiar. 

"Clarke?" I breathed. "Clarke!" 

I nearly burst into tears. At least she was okay. I had the reassurance of one of my friends being okay. A dull pain in my hand pulled my attention away from her. I found that a tightly wound cloth bandaged wrapped around my hand. I tried to curl my hand into a fist and winced. Not to mention the fact that my wrists were strapped down at the edge of the bed, the same as Clarke. 

_Damn, firecracker,_ Bellamy's voice echoed in my head.  _Keep that anger under control._

I blinked away a few tears. Of course my grief would turn him into my inner voice. Conscience, no less. Ironic. He'd laugh at the idea. I smiled to myself before turning back to Clarke. Blood covered the top of her white tank-top, the same way it stained the bottom of mine. I guessed she got into as much trouble as I did. 

"Y/n, thank god you're okay!" She said. 

"What's going on?" I asked, keeping my voice low. 

She shook her head. "I don't know. I don't trust this place or these people." 

"Me neither." 

Just then, the door to the large room opened, and in strolled a dapper elder man and two younger kids, flanked by doctors and guards. One I recognized as the boy I fought in the hallway. I shifted just a little, positioning myself in a protective stance in as much in front of Clarke as I could, being restrained. She may have been our leader, but I was a warrior, and I was going to make sure nothing happened to her. 

"Hello, Y/n, Clarke," the dapper man greeted us, a kind smile on his face. "How are the injuries?" 

We exchanged glances. How did these people know our names? Neither of us spoke. 

"Not much of talkers, are they?" One woman with dark hair in a white coat said, walking past us. I threw her as much of a fiery glare as I possibly could. 

"A skill picked up from the savages no doubt," the dapper man responded. 

Grounders, I figured. 

They stopped right in front of us, and I struggled a little against my restraints, but gave up when I realized it was no use escaping them. 

"That's fine," the man continued, and gestured to the two kids who were staring at us with distaste and a hint of fear. "Maya and Jason have something they'd like to say first anyway." 

The girl called Maya spoke first, talking to Clarke, her tone laced with agitation. "You were the next one to be cleared through quarantine. Another ten minutes and you would've-" 

The dapper man cleared his throat, and Maya sighed. 

"I'm not pressing charges." 

"Neither am I," Jason said, staring at me. I narrowed my eyes at him and took some victory in the way he shrank back at my glare. Good to know I was imposing enough to scare some of these people. Which meant I could probably force my way out. 

"Thank you Maya, Jason," said the dapper man. "You may receive your treatments now." 

The lady with dark hair whom I assumed was a doctor guided them to two beds next to each other. I eyed them warily before turning my attention back to the man before us. 

"Restraints aren't necessary," he said softly.

"Yes, Mr. President." Two guards removed the leather from my and Clarke's wrists. Slowly, I rubbed them.

"Dante Wallace," The man introduced himself and extended his hand first to me, which I didn't shake, and then to Clarke, who took his hand and looked at the black marks on his fingers. "Oil paint. That's right, you're an artist too." 

Clarke stood and stared him in the eyes. "Who told you that?" 

I too stood, and stepped closer to Clarke, standing slightly in front of her. Protecting her could make up for everyone I'd lost. 

"Your people did. They also said you were their leader," Wallace responded, and then turned to me. "And you're the storytelling hunter." 

I glared at him, but couldn't help the spark of relief. Maybe our other friends were okay. That didn't mean that I trusted these people at all, but if they were alive, then I had the right to be a little relieved. 

"Where's my watch?" Clarke asked, and immediately my fingers fluttered to my hand. 

"And my ring?" 

"I'm sorry," Wallace said, though he didn't sound very apologetic, "but we can't let contaminated items inside Mount Weather. We couldn't risk it. Our protocol is very strict. We prioritize safety over sentimentality."  

I balled my fingers into fists, ignoring the flare of pain in my right hand. They had taken the last thing I had of Bellamy because they had strict protocol? Oh, I was going to raise hell for these people. 

I glanced past the President to the two kids on the hospital beds. Blood circulated through clear tubes into their chests and back out again. Suspicious. 

"How many of us did you capture?" Clarke asked. Something I would have liked to know as well. 

"Forty-eight including the two of you," Wallace responded, his voice laced with disappointment. "But you've got it all wrong. You're not prisoners. We saved you." 

"Well in that case," I spoke up, fueled by mistrust and anger, "you won't mind if we leave then." 

Clarke nodded in agreement. "If there are forty-eight of us here, we still have more people out there!" 

"Patrol brought in who they could find," Wallace said. 

"What about the Ark?" I countered. "It came down-" 

"We saw it. There were multiple crash sites over one hundred square miles. If there were survivors, we'll bring them in too," Wallace said, and he sounded sincere, but I wasn't buying it. "You have my word."

"We want to see our people," Clarke demanded. 

"Course you do. I would too." Wallace motioned for a wardrobe and opened it before the two of us. "Get dressed, and then you can join us for some dinner." 

He sauntered away, and Clarke and I reluctantly sifted through the clothes. I grabbed things that reminded me of life around the dropship. We both picked up a high heeled shoe with the same idea- we broke off the heels and stuck them in our sleeves, just in case. 

Sharing a tense, concerned glance with each other, we stepped out of the medical room. I let my eyes linger on the two patients, wondering about the healing process. An uncomfortable feeling overcame me. Something wasn't right here. And I was going to find out what.

* * *

We followed President Wallace through a series of depressing, gray hallways lit by flickering fluorescent lights. One room we passed through was incredibly loud, so loud and rattling I could barely hear myself think. Apparently it was the sound of their hydroponic system from their own water reserve to provide fresh water and good food. These people really had everything figured out. Which meant it was going to be difficult to figure out their secrets. 

"I don't understand," Clarke said, after Wallace finished explaining how they lived. "You're on the ground. You know it's survivable. Why would you stay here?" 

"It's not survivable for us." 

"The Grounders seem to have managed," Clarke countered. 

Wallace responded, "Natural selection works. The Grounders who couldn't survive the radiation didn't. Those who could passed on their DNA. For better or worse we never went through that process."

Worse, I would say. I would hate to have to spend my entire life inside a mountain, so close to the land our ancestors walked. At least in space, we were too far away that to dream of touching the soil was just that. A dream. 

"Neither did we," Clarke said. "We've been on the ground now for...solar radiation." 

"Very good," Wallace remarked. "Your DNA ran the same gauntlet as the Grounders. Only because radiation levels in space are even higher, your ability to metabolize the radiation is even stronger." 

Which made sense. But I didn't like the way he said that. There was something way too shady about everyone in this place. 

"Truth be told," Wallace continued, "our scientists were blown away by the efficiency of your systems. If not for that, your friends would still be upstairs in quarantine." 

We stopped in front of another elevator. The president gestured for us to enter, and reluctantly, I stepped inside, followed by two guards. As the doors closed, Wallace stopped them with his hand. He stared at both of us, a small, knowing smile on his face. 

"First, give me the heels." 

Clarke pursed her lips and pulled her heel from her sleeve. I wasn't going to give in so easily. I kept my mouth shut, my glare hard, and pretended as if I didn't understand. But Wallace kept staring at me, and finally Clarke nudged my shoulder. I huffed and handed the man my broken heel.  

"You're not fighting for your life anymore, Y/n," he said as he took my heel. "You've made it. Welcome to Mount Weather." 

He smiled and I didn't shift in my steely gaze even as the elevator doors shut. Maybe I could relax. Maybe I could trust these people. But I wasn't going to stop fighting, not until I was sure. I would always fight for myself, for my friends. 

_Arrived, level five._ A woman's voice echoed as we stepped out of the elevator. The two men flanking us led us to a group of people where a woman was explaining something. 

"Your packet contains everything you need to know about Mount Weather," she was saying. "Which, I promise, is not as confusing as the map on page one makes it out to look." 

Clarke and I hesitantly stepped towards the group of people. 

"You came from level three, which houses our medical facility including quarantine-"

"Y/n! Clarke!" A familiar voice called out. Monty broke through the crowd and raced into my arms. A smile spread across my face and I hugged him tight, so incredibly relieved to see that he was okay. Jasper was not far behind him, and I pulled him into a hug too. Happy tears stung at my eyes and I quickly blinked them away. 

After sharing hugs with them, I tentatively asked, "Bellamy?" 

The elation fell, and Jasper's smile dropped. "Y/n...he uh, he didn't make it. Neither did Finn." 

I turned my gaze to the ground, but Clarke put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "We don't know that. What about Raven?"

Their lack of response was all the answer we needed. She wasn't here either. Dead, probably. But I tried not to think about that. 

"Welcome Clarke, Y/n," the woman who was speaking before approached us, and handed us each a small blue binder. "If you have any questions, I'm Keenan." 

Clarke offered her a small smile, but I couldn't find it in me to be so civil. I just gripped tight to the binder and watched as she walked away. 

I opened the binder to find a map of the mountain on the first page. There were six levels, the first near the top of the mountain. The longer I studied it, the more I realized something was off. I exchanged a glance with her, and figured she was thinking the same thing. This was a map with no exits. 

* * *

Stomach grumbling, I joined Monty and Jasper at a long cafeteria table. As always, they were joking around, their dorky smiles lifting my spirits, if only a little. 

"Hey!" I greeted them, trying not to be so morose. "What's up?" 

"Oh, Y/n," Monty said, "you have to try the chocolate cake. So good." 

Jasper eyed him teasingly. "Oh it is so on." 

I smiled and grabbed a fork to take a piece of it. Though that part of me that wanted to keep fighting, to not trust these people screamed at me not to eat their food, the hunger in my stomach and the desire to feel at peace for once overruled. My eyes closed in satisfaction as I put the bite of cake in my mouth. 

I moaned, trying to be as obnoxious as possible. "Oh fuck me, that's so good." 

Fantastic food was another thing these people had over the Ark. I'd never tasted cake this good before in my life. 

Monty and Jasper laughed, and then I shot them a challenging glare. "Hey Jasper, wanna share that pie too?" 

Jasper shook his head. "Oh no, oh hell no." 

I waved my fork around and went in for his pie. He stood up and moved the plate out of my reach every time I went for a piece. Despite all my worries, the bad feeling I got from these people and this mountain, I was enjoying myself, experiencing a moment of pure glee. 

"Sit down and pretend you're happy to see me," Clarke said, a serious frown on her face. My smile dropped and we all took our seats. 

"We are happy to see you," Monty replied, and I nodded, taking the chance to steal some of Jasper's pie. He exhaled and narrowed his eyes at me. I gave him a shit-eating grin as I made an exaggerated face to show how much I enjoyed his food. 

"Clarke, you should totally have some of Jasper's pie," I offered, staring him down and he glared teasingly. "He loves to share." 

Clarke shook her head. "I'm not eating their food." 

I dropped my smile and licked my fork before setting it down on the plate. Clarke pulled out her binder and opened it to the map. 

"Look. They gave us a map with no exits." 

"Yeah, I noticed that too," I agreed. 

Clarke ignored me, but I didn't take it personally. "Tell me everything you've seen. Every room, every hallway. Every way out." 

"Way out," Jasper scoffed. "Look around you Clarke. There's no one hunting us here. First time in our lives, we're not hungry. Why would you want to leave?" 

I agreed. But then Bellamy's face flashed through my mind again. I knew he was probably dead. That was a harsh reality. But I had hope. Hope that he was still out there, that so many of our people were still out there, and if we stayed we wouldn't ever see them again. I couldn't bear that thought. 

"Because we have friends out there who need our help!" Clarke countered. 

"They're looking for survivors," Monty offered. "And they're way better equipped to find them than we are."

A nice sentiment, but I doubted they were looking very hard. Again, I had a bad feeling about these mountain people. There was something else, some sort of hidden agenda, something behind all this warmth and hospitality that was successfully luring me in. 

"This place is too good to be true," Clarke murmured, assenting to my own thoughts. 

"You're bumming me out," Jasper sighed. "I'm gonna go get more cake." 

He left, and Clarke soon followed, leaving me alone with Monty. 

"I agree with Clarke, you know," I said, grabbing a roll of bread from a basket on the table. "Something is off with this place." 

Monty sighed and finished the rest of his cake. "You guys are always on the offensive. Maybe you're right. I take everything with a grain of salt. But try to enjoy it for now." 

"I'm trying, Monty. Really. I am." I gave him a side hug. "I said to you what feels forever ago to keep your optimism because we need it. We still do. Balance out me and Clarke." 

He chuckled. 

In the corner of my eye, I saw Clarke leaving the dining room, something in her hand. She had that familiar look on her face that she was up to something. And I was not going to leave her to do that something alone. I caught up to her just outside the cafeteria. 

"Alright, where we going?" 

Clarke glanced at me, and showed her Maya's key card. "We're getting out." 

I nodded. We could escape and bring back reinforcements to get the others out. 

_You're gonna get yourself killed_ , Bellamy's voice echoed in my head. I ignored that. 

Halfway down another hallway, alarms started blaring. 

_Alert, code five,_ a woman's voice reverberated throughout the hallway. Clarke and I exchanged glances. 

"Not a prisoner, huh?" She said, before taking off. Adrenaline pumping, I followed her and forced myself to run ever faster as guards chased us from every direction. Feet slapping on the concrete floor, we raced into a dead end, a restricted door our only exit. I prayed that the card worked to open it, and thankfully it did. 

Once through, we shoved the door closed and I yanked the wires so they couldn't follow us. 

"Nice," Clarke said, offering me a smile, before taking off up the stairs. I let out a breath and pounded up the stairs after her.

At the top, there was nothing but empty space. Wildly, I looked around and saw a massive sealed door. Without hesitation, we raced for it. Together, we turned the wheel that kept the door locked shut. My muscles cried out, but I didn't relent until I heard a satisfying click. I nodded, and Clarke gripped tight to the lever, ready to pull it down and open the door. 

"Clarke, no!" 

Jasper and Maya broke out of the elevator and stopped right in front of us. Jasper had his arm outstretched, as if approaching a wild animal. I tried to soften my gaze, but I was wild with adrenaline and the possibility of being so close to freedom. 

"If you pull that lever, these people will die," Jasper said. "Even a little radiation will kill them." 

I panted, trying to figure what was the best option. Could I live with myself if I killed an entire population of people who were treating us so kindly? Maybe. Maybe if it got me back to Bellamy. But I still wasn't even sure he was alive. I exchanged a nervous glance with Clarke. Time slowed as she seemed to have the same internal debate. 

Maya returned with a loaded gun, aiming at Clarke. I stepped in front of her, fire flashing in my eyes. 

"Don't make me shoot you," she said. 

"Wait, wait." Jasper stepped in front of the barrel of Maya's gun, and then turned to me and Clarke. I stepped aside, just a little so I wasn't blocking him from talking to her completely. "Guys, don't do this." 

"I don't believe them," I said, my voice shaking. I didn't know if it was because I missed Bellamy or because I feared I would die here or because I was so confused that my emotions were just getting the better of me. 

Jasper looked at me with dejection in his eyes. It calmed me down a little, enough to make myself listen to him. "Why would they lie?" 

Truthfully, I didn't know. But there had to be something. They had to be lying about  _something_. 

"Listen to me," Jasper continued. "We're safe here. Because of the both of you, we're safe." 

"Not all of us," I replied, choking back tears. Bellamy was all I could think about. 

"I'm the one that fired the rockets," Jasper offered, as if trying to help ease the anger and mourning I felt. It did, just a little. "Should I not have done that? Clarke, when you pulled that lever, you saved lives. Don't throw that away by pulling this one." 

I turned to Clarke, and saw she had the same teary eyed anger that I felt. And in that moment, I figured maybe Jasper was right. Maybe killing an entire civilization was not the right way to go about this. Slowly, Clarke released her hold on the lever. 

"There they are!" Guards raced down the hallway, pushing past Maya and Jasper to us. "Hands up!" 

The guards grabbed my arms and forced them behind me, roughly shoving me to the ground. I couldn't help the tears as they clamped handcuffs around my wrists. I really messed up. I wasn't sure if Bellamy would be proud or not. 

_If you get yourself killed, probably not,_ his voice echoed in my mind. That was probably true. 

* * *

Clarke and I walked in silence, flanked by guards as they led us to the President's office. The cold metal of the handcuffs bit into my skin and I tried not to wince as it rubbed against my wound. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of being in pain, of being afraid. 

Inside his office, soft opera music was playing. Wallace was painting on a canvas, and it was actually rather impressive. Beautiful trees, grass, sky. Looking at the painting took me back all the way to the first day we'd landed, the astonishment I'd felt at breathing the fresh, sweet air for the first time in my life. 

"Lose the handcuffs," Wallace ordered, without breaking concentration on his artwork. 

The guards unlocked the cuffs binding our wrists. I kept my gaze on the painting, rubbing my wrists. 

"There's a blank canvas, if you'd like," Wallace said, gesturing to his left. "And a rather beautiful journal there, if you want to write, Y/n." 

I let my gaze stray to where he pointed and found myself staring at a leather bound notebook, embroidered with gold decorations. I hated to admit that I loved it, that I yearned to put my words on its pages. It reminded me of the one my mother had given me, and I fought to remain as stoic as Clarke. 

"I used to paint the ground too," Clarke said after a while of awkward silence. 

"It's not just the ground. It's a memory," Wallace responded. My head snapped away from the notebook to the President. So he had been outside. I was right to be suspicious of these people. 

"You've been outside," Clarke said, her voice accusatory. 

"Yes. Fifty-six years ago for five minutes. I was seven when the first of what we call The Outsiders appeared. Before that, we thought we were all there was. Imagine our surprise." 

"Don't have to imagine," I muttered. 

"Ah, so she speaks." Wallace turned and gave me a small smile. I narrowed my eyes and didn't say anything more, so he continued. "My father, this was his office at the time, believed that the earth was survivable again. And so he opened the doors. Within a week, fifty-four people were dead from exposure, my mother and sister among them." 

I felt bad, of course, but I still didn't trust them. I doubted anything this man said could get me to trust him or this mountain. 

Wallace turned to us, and put his pallet down. "Loss, pain, regret. Time eases these things. But the only time it's ever truly gone is when I'm painting." 

Exactly how I felt when I wrote or when I told stories. 

"You didn't bring us here to talk about painting," Clarke said. "Did you?" 

"I'm afraid I have bad news." 

I had to refrain from rolling my eyes. I expected nothing less. 

"Our patrols have swept the area and found no sign of survivors. Either at your camp, or the Ark." 

My heart sank. I didn't trust the words he was saying, but I couldn't help the extent of the melancholy I felt. Bellamy might be gone for good. And Raven. And my father. Everyone. 

"How can they be sure?" Clarke asked. 

Wallace shrugged. "They can't. I've ordered them to keep searching-" 

"I need to see for myself," I interrupted. Maybe he was right. Maybe he was wrong. I would be the one to determine which. 

"I can't allow that. I'm doing this for your own good. It's not safe out there." 

"Radiation has no affect on us!" I argued, trying to keep my voice from rising. 

"It's not the radiation I'm concerned about," Wallace replied. "You need time to grieve. These men will show you to your room." 

"And if we try to leave?" Clarke challenged. I stepped closer to her to show that I stood with her. 

"Please don't test me, Clarke. Y/n." 

I glared at Wallace before turning on my heel and letting the guards lead us out of the office. Our room was one big room to be shared by all forty-eight of us, filled with bunk-beds. Clarke and I shared one. I took the bottom while she took the top.

For a while, I looked around at everyone milling about, reading books or joking with each other. I smiled. 

I collapsed on the bed, burrowing my face into the lumpy pillow, almost cursing myself for being grateful for it. Since I'd been on Earth, I hadn't slept in a proper bed or with a proper pillow or blanket. Maybe I was being too paranoid. 

_Anything to keep you alive,_  Bellamy's voice murmured. 

"But what about peace?" I whispered to myself, as I turned and looked at all my people, my friends, enjoying themselves. "Can't I be at peace?" 

My inner voice stayed silent. I sighed and rolled back over, and stared at the bottom of Clarke's bed before I fell asleep.


	2. Inclement Weather

Rock music blared over the speakers in the room. All around me, my fellow people were enjoying their time here, smacking each other with pillows, smiling, laughing. Above me, Clarke was sketching something in her binder, no doubt her mind still turning, searching for a way out. I couldn't find it in me to do anything but sit and listen to everyone else having fun. For as much as I wanted peace and relaxation, I couldn't enjoy this. I doubted I would ever have a good feeling about this place. 

Jasper approached the bunk and stared at Clarke for a moment before saying, "It's not bad. Maybe they'll uh, hang it on the walls here one day." 

Intrigued by the conversation, I rolled out of my bed and stood, leaning my arms on the bars surrounding Clarke's top bunk. I raised an eyebrow at her binder, where she'd been drawing schematics of every part of the mountain she knew, but I said nothing. 

"Look who finally got released!" Someone called from the back of the room. I turned and saw Miller stroll into the room, escorted by Maya. He was the last of us to be released from Quarantine and I couldn't help my smile. Now that everyone was free, I could keep an eye on them, and if it came to it, we could defend each other. 

Despite not knowing Miller very well, I gave him a hug. Maybe it was time I got to know my people better. "I'm glad you're okay." 

"It only took, what, three surgeries?" He joked. His smile fell as he looked at me and Clarke. "I hear you guys are fitting right in." 

I rolled my eyes and turned away from him. So much for being friendly. 

"Twice a day, every day," Maya said, handing Miller a bottle of pills. "Don't forget. He'll be okay in a few days." 

"Maya!" Jasper greeted her, a dorky smile on his face. Though not the normal kind. It was something a little different, something that reminded me of the way I looked at Bellamy. "Top of the mornin'...is a very dumb thing to say I saw in an old movie once." 

I chuckled and turned away from him. Guess he had a bit of a crush. Not but a few seconds later, an alarm started wailing and everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at each other. That couldn't mean anything good. 

I jumped in front of Maya before she left the room. "Hey, what's going on?" 

"A surface patrol is back and someone needs medical attention," Maya explained. "I have to get to Quarantine." 

I exchanged a glance with Clarke and she nodded. Without another word, I turned to follow Maya. Jasper grabbed my arm to stop me. 

"Y/n, what are you doing?" 

"Maybe they found survivors," I replied, unable to hide the desperation in my voice, the hope that it was Bellamy. "If our people are hurt, we have the right to know." 

"Pretty sure we shouldn't go wandering around," Jasper countered. 

"Why not?" I shot back. "We're not prisoners, right?" 

Without waiting for him to respond, Clarke and I raced out of the room, and Jasper followed us closely behind. Down the hallway, everyone was donning a hazmat suit. 

"What are we dealing with?" I heard Maya ask as we approached the group of people. 

"They were attacked. One dead in room two," a man replied. "The other took his gloves and mask off to treat him. He's in decon. He'll need treatment soon." 

Clarke stopped in the midst of the rushing people. "Who attacked them?" 

The man turned to Maya. "What are they doing here?" 

I looked over my shoulder and saw a man distracted with putting his hazmat suit on and took the chance to snatch his key card from his shirt pocket. 

"Stop! It's not safe!" Someone called behind me. 

"It is for us," I responded, swiping the card over the unlocking panel. "Let's go, Clarke, Jasper." 

Behind me, I heard Jasper say apologetically, "Someone's gotta keep them out of trouble." 

Internally, I rolled my eyes, but kept my focus on finding out who was wounded. Together, we raced into the pristine white hallways of medical. 

"Stop pushing so hard!" Jasper pleaded behind us. "These people are-" 

"Lying to us," Clarke finished, as we came upon a dead man. Upon further inspection, there was no denying the fact that it was a gunshot wound. So our people were out there. Bellamy could be out there, and these people are keeping him from me. I balled my hands into fists, ignoring the pain in my palm. If that pain kept me motivated to get out of this place, then I was okay with it. 

"Grounders don't use guns," I said turning to Jasper, who was shocked. 

"Unless the grounders got the guns from us," he countered, though he didn't seem very convinced. 

"I doubt it," Clarke replied. "I think our people are alive out there." 

Just then, a woman in a hazmat suit whose face I recognized as one of the doctors who treated Maya and Jason, entered the room. "Get them out of here!" 

Behind her, a few other people helped a man inside, who was covered in red, bleeding, oozing sores, barely hanging onto life, completely sick from radiation poisoning. My eyes widened, and I found myself thankful for being raised on the Ark. I forced back some bile. I'd seen some horrible things down here, hellish, unspeakable things, but this was something else. 

After we'd been escorted out of the room, Clarke and I didn't rest. Seeing that man so sick with radiation did not sit well with me. More than that though, I couldn't get the bullet wound out of my mind. Why were these people lying to us about the Ark not surviving the fall? What did they want with us? There had to be an agenda behind their hospitality. There  _had_ to be. 

Finally, Clarke and I resolved to confront the President about the dead body and the bullet. If anyone could get us an answer it was him. We walked around the halls for a while before heading for the cafeteria, where we found President Wallace piling up a plate of food. I let Clarke take the lead confronting him, because no one outside of the forty-eight had really heard me say much and I wanted to keep it that way. If I was stoic, I was imposing, and if I was imposing, I could get out of here easier. 

"Sure." Wallace shrugged, that every present small smile on his face. "Let's talk over breakfast." 

"Who shot that soldier?" Clarke asked, without hesitation. Wallace looked over her shoulder to me, and I did nothing but raise an eyebrow in challenge. 

Wallace sighed and led us out away from keen, curious ears. "The patrol that was looking for your people was attacked by what you call Grounders." 

"We've fought Grounders," Clarke retorted. "They don't use guns."

"I never mentioned guns. Sergeant Shaw was shot by an arrow." 

"That's not true," I countered, keeping my voice low. "We saw the wound." 

Wallace looked at me with something like pity in his eyes. "Sometimes we feel so strongly about our people we see things that aren't really there." 

I felt desperation rise in my voice, as I spoke, losing hope again that I'd lost Bellamy. And Raven, and my father, and everyone outside of the mountain. "But we both saw it!" 

Clarke put a gentle hand on my arm and I returned to a pacified state. "Let us see the body." 

Wallace nodded. "Of course." 

I didn't like the way he said that. As if he knew we were wrong, despite the fact that I saw a bullet wound for a fact. My mind didn't make that up because I wanted to believe everyone was still alive out there. My mind  _did not make that up_. Bellamy was out there. If there were guns out there, so were my other people and so was he. 

_We will, we will, we will_. 

I touched the phantom ring around my finger, wishing it were there, but still chanting the mantra in my mind all the way until we got to medical. Inside the empty white room we waited for what felt like an eternity before the doctor who I learned was called Dr. Tsing wheeled a silver gurney into the room with the body of the dead man on it. 

"Sorry to keep you waiting," she said. "We had to finish decontamination." 

"Thank you Dr. Tsing," Wallace said. 

"The man with the burns," Clarke asked, "how is he?" 

"He's improving," Dr. Tsing replied. 

"I'd like to talk to him." 

I shot Clarke a questioning glance but didn't say anything. Perhaps that wasn't a bad idea. He would know if our people were out there. 

"Sir, only patients are allowed in medical," Dr. Tsing said, looking to Wallace. 

"We can arrange that." 

I was surprised to say the least. Maybe Wallace  _was_ on our side.

Dr. Tsing pulled away the tarp from the dead man's head and torso, leaving us staring at a gray body with a clean entry wound just below the strange metal implant on his chest. 

"What's this?" I asked, pointing to it. 

"It's a dialysis shunt," Dr. Tsing explained. "We all have them in case of exposure. Would you like to see the exit wound?" 

Clarke and I exchanged glances and then nodded. Dr. Tsing turned the dead man on his side, revealing to us the exit wound of the bullet hole. But it was way too big to be the exit wound of a bullet. Being an expert at shooting bow and arrow, I recognized that as most likely being an arrow wound. Which meant that this man really had been attacked by Grounders. And that...maybe we had just seen what we wanted to see. Maybe I had seen it as a bullet wound because I wanted to believe Bellamy was still out there somewhere. But then again, Clarke had seen that too. Unless we were both delusional with hope, something wasn't right here.

"Sergeant Langston was forced to push the arrow out in the field." Dr. Tsing released the body and turned to the steel cupboard behind her. "We've got it right here." 

From that cupboard, she pulled a bag which contained a broken, bloody arrowhead. I huffed. Guess we were wrong about the bullet. I turned my back on them, so no one would catch the tears I blinked away. Maybe we were trapped in this mountain forever and no one is out there. Maybe we were all that was left of the Ark.

* * *

When we returned back to the room with the other forty-six kids, Jasper immediately approached us. 

"What did President Wallace say?" He asked. 

"He showed us Shaw's body," Clarke replied, gritting her teeth. "It looked like an arrow wound." 

I nodded, which added credibility, even if I didn't want it to. 

"Maybe because it is an arrow wound," Jasper ventured. 

"Or that's what they want us to think," I murmured, which caught a few strange glances. If I thought it was suspicious, I hoped that would inspire others to be suspicious as well. Unfortunately, that did not seem to convince Jasper who made a pitiful face. Annoyance sparked in my core. Why was Clarke the only one on my side? "What? They could have doctored it." 

"Y/n, you sound like a crazy person," Jasper said. "Why do you wanna screw this up?" 

I scoffed and crossed my arms. "I don't know what this is." 

"This is safe," Jasper said, smiling softly. I don't think I'd seen such a content smile on his face before, and a pang of guilt struck me. Who was I to destroy his happiness? 

_Someone who's going to save his life_. 

"This is food, a real bed, clothes," Jasper continued. "My personal favorite: not getting speared by Grounders. I mean c'mon Y/n, you were having fun in the cafeteria with us before. Why not let that continue forever?" 

I pursed my lips. "Because it's way too good to be true, Jasper. I'm not naive anymore."

"Well I want to stay here, and how long do you think they're gonna let us if you two keep this up?" 

Clarke stepped beside me, narrowing her eyes at Jasper, but not in anger, more like concern. "Did someone threaten you?" 

Jasper shook his head in disbelief. "No. No, it's common sense. Look, we're guests here, not prisoners. What would you do with a guest who kept calling you a liar? Generally acted like an ungrateful ass?"

"I'd kick their ungrateful ass out," Miller answered from behind us, without even looking up from his book. I rolled my eyes. 

"Right now, the biggest threat to us is you," Jasper said, his tone darker than I've ever heard before. I wanted to cry out of anger, frustration, grief, but I remained stoic, staring Jasper down. Maybe that was true, but I doubted it was. Jasper could disagree with me, hate me, all he wanted, but I was still going to get his and everyone else's asses out of this godforsaken mountain. 

With that, Jasper sighed and left us. I turned to Clarke and pulled her into a hug. She seemed shocked at the touch. I couldn't help it. I felt that everyone was against us right now, and I needed a comforting touch. I wasn't sure I was going to get that from anyone else any time soon. 

"Thank you for not hating me," I whispered into her ear. 

"Y/n, no one hates you," Clarke reassured me. "They're just happy to trust anyone who gives them a bed and warm food." 

"Well you know we have to get them out," I said, pulling away from the hug. 

Clarke nodded. "Of course. Soon. Maybe we have to worry about ourselves first." 

"One step at a time, I guess." 

* * *

Once more, I looked around at everyone having fun in the rec hall. Miller was arm wrestling every challenger, others were playing table tennis. Jasper was at the piano playing the keys and flirting with Maya, making my heart ache for Bellamy, nothing new. I sat on the couch with Clarke, reading. I didn't mind reading. It was a pleasant past time, and now I had something different than Fahrenheit 451. Beside me, Clarke was studying the map of Mount Weather, working out a way to escape. I was going to let her concoct the plan and then I'd follow through with it, no questions asked. 

Apparently, it did not seem to be going so well. Clarke tore the map, scrunched it up, and tossed it away. I sighed, but didn't say anything, only returned to reading my book. I hoped she wasn't falling into the same trap everyone else had, the same one I almost had that first meal I ate. I hoped she wasn't giving up on getting us out. 

"Langston, where you going man? Tonight's movie night." 

I peered up from my book. Langston? Wasn't that the guy who'd been completely irradiated, on the brink of death we'd seen before? I stared at the man in question and thought it couldn't possibly be the same man. He was walking, talking, smiling. Almost completely healed, but that couldn't be possible. He nearly died of radiation burns. 

 "I gotta pass," Langston replied. "Doc says I got one more treatment." 

I exchanged a glance with Clarke and we both resolved to stand up and follow Langston out of the rec hall, but stopped short when we realized he was heading to medical. 

Together we returned to the empty dormitory. 

"Only patients are allowed in medical," she said, heading for our bunk bed. 

I knew exactly what the plan was but I couldn't help my reservations. "Won't they find it suspicious if we're both wounded at the same time?" 

Clarke gave me an indecipherable look. Her mind and emotions were just as messy as mine right now. "With the way we're doing this, let's hope they don't." 

I sighed and nodded. "Alright. Here goes nothing." 

I turned away as Clarke ripped the stitches in her arm open. I braced my self for what she was about to do. If both of us reopened our wounds, it would be too suspicious. If it looked like we got into a fight, the two most headstrong people here, there would be less questions asked. 

"Sorry," Clarke murmured, and I just waved my hand. 

"It's alright. Do it." 

Clarke grabbed my shoulder and rammed me against our bunk-bed. Dull pain exploded in my head and stars danced in front of my eyes, but it wasn't enough. I tried to keep from crying as she threw me to the ground, and I landed roughly on my injured hand, scraping both of my palms. Blood ran down to the tips of my fingers, hot and sticky. Once more, Clarke kicked me in the face and blood filled my mouth. Finally, consciousness began to slip away from me, and the last thing I saw before I blacked out was Clarke collapsing beside me. 

* * *

I wasn't sure how much later it was, but when I finally awoke, Clarke breathed a sigh of relief. 

"I thought maybe I went a little too hard on you." 

I chuckled, trying to ignore the dull pain on my face and in my hands. "Oh, you could never." 

She smiled, and helped me up. Both of us were in yellow medical gowns, covered in bruises. She looked at me apologetically one more time before motioning me forward. For a moment she shook Langston, trying to get him to wake to ask him questions, but something else had my attention. Those tubes of blood were connected to their dialysis shunts, and they led somewhere. 

"Clarke," I whispered. "Look." 

I pointed to a large tube lining the ceiling where everyone's IVs of blood led into. We followed the tube to the end of the treatment room, where it led to a vent. Clarke and I shared a glance, and then I shrugged. If we ever had a chance to figure out this mountain's secrets, it was now. 

Together, we pulled the cover of the vent off, trying to stay as quiet as possible.

"Help me up," I said, keeping my voice low. Clarke cupped her hands and hefted me up to the vent where I started crawling. Close behind me, Clarke followed. When finally I reached the other end, I pushed the cover of the vent off and crawled out into a dimly lit stone room. 

I froze when I saw what was inside the room. Two Grounders were strung upside down, unconscious, hooked up to machines. Wires attached to their veins, and pumped their blood through the tubes that I could only assume fed into the people of Mount Weather as their "treatments." God this was fucked up. 

Behind us, moans reverberated through the room. Heart pounding, I turned around and found the situation even worse. There were cages in this room, too many to count, each filled with a Grounder. Slowly, we walked down the aisle of cages. Hands reached out at us, accompanied by moans of pain and fear, by pleads for help. My eyes widened. What the hell? 

Abruptly, Clarke stopped right in front of me. I turned to see what had caught her attention and found her staring at the Grounder that had led the army on our dropship before we were all captured. 

"Anya?" 

My stomach dropped. If she was in here, being drained for her blood, then that meant these people were capable of anything. None of us were safe in here. None of us. 


	3. Reapercussions

Warily, I looked around at all the Grounders cramped in cages as Clarke pounded and pulled on Anya's cage, trying to free her. As much as I wished I could save all of these people from their terrible fate, I knew we had to keep going. 

"Clarke..." I warned, eyes flitting towards the door. Slowly, I started heading towards the opposite way we'd come. If that door opened, I wasn't going to be here. I couldn't control Clarke, but I hoped she wouldn't be either. Of course, I was completely out of her mind as she yanked a pipe from the wall and used it to beat against the lock on Anya's cage. With a booming  _clang_ , the lock broke away. My heart thudded in my chest as I stared at the door. Slowly, it began to open. 

I didn't think. I acted only on instinct, and bolted. I figured Clarke would do something to take care of herself. Looking over my shoulder, I saw her clamber into the small cage with Anya. I breathed a sigh of relief. At least she was safe. For the most part. For me, however, there seemed to be no end in sight to the cages. Just in time, I reached the end of this line of cages, and crouched with my back against the wall. The Grounder in the cage I leaned against snarled at me, but I tried not to let them bother me. If I moved, if I made a sound, if I even so much as  _breathed_ , I could end up strung upside down. 

I closed my eyes and stilled my breaths as Dr Tsing strolled into the chamber. I prayed she wouldn't walk to the end of the line and find me, and I prayed she wouldn't notice Clarke. It was an interminable minute as she walked down the cages, and I exhaled a sigh of relief when she finally left the room. I peeked around the corner and saw Clarke and Anya crawling out of their cage. 

"Okay, we've gotta go," Clarke ordered, as she approached me. "Now." 

I nodded and followed them out a door that said  _End Containment Area._ It shut behind me, and I doubted we could turn back, even if for some reason we wanted to. It's just a small room, with no way forward. I didn't get long to think on it as alarms blared and the floor opened beneath us. A scream tore from my throat as I fell down a chute and landed in a rusted metal mining cart atop several dead bodies. I forced back vomit as I clambered over the pile of putrid bodies and leaped out of the cart. 

Looking around, I couldn't help a smile. "We're out." 

Clarke raced to the edge of the mine wall, where there was a pile of clothes pressed against the stone. She grabbed a bundle and tossed it at me. "Here, get dressed. We can't cover any ground like this." 

I nodded and started changing without any objections. Anya, however, was a different story. 

"I won't leave my people behind," she said, still hanging onto the cart, staring at all the bloody, broken bodies. 

I threw her a pitied look as I pulled some pants on. I knew how she felt, even if I still resented her for attacking us at the dropship. There were bigger things to place my anger in now. First the Mountain Men, and then I could return to hating the Grounders if I had to. 

"Anya, listen to me," Clarke said, approaching her. "Our people are still inside that place too. But they have guards, they have weapons. Once we get out of here, we can find help. We can come back-"

"There is no we," Anya interrupted, glaring at Clarke. I eyed her suspiciously as I pulled on a jacket. 

Down the hall, chatter reverberated. I stepped forward, trying to see what the sound was. Torchlight danced across the shadowy cavern walls. I whispered, "Someone's coming." 

Clarke went rigid. "Not just someone. Reapers." 

Anya immediately turned to grab a weapon but I stopped her. "You can barely stand. Don't try to fight." 

She glared at me, and I gave her just as heated a look. Thankfully, Clarke stepped in to diffuse the situation. "I have a better idea. C'mon." 

Clarke led us to the other mine cart a little ahead from the one we'd fallen into. First, she helped Anya up, then herself, and at the last second I hopped in. There weren't as many bodies in this one. Just a few, but it still reeked and it was still a terrible sight. No one deserved what these Mountain Men were doing to them. I closed my eyes and tried not to think about it, and just lay still, waiting for the reapers to pass. 

My heart pounded as the approached the cart, and then it practically stopped as they tossed bodies on top of us. Blood dripped onto my face, my hair, my lips. I tried to keep my breathing steady, tried to control the impulse to wipe away the dead man's blood from my skin. I kept still, impossibly still and waited. Waiting was agony. 

 _We will, we will, we will_. 

If I made it out of here, I would see Bellamy again. I calmed, and let the mantra keep me at peace as more bodies piled on top of us. Even as the Reapers began to push the cart down the rails, I still kept calm. When it finally stopped, I opened my eyes and my terrified gaze met Clarke's. None of us knew what was going to happen. We very well could have just signed our death warrants by getting into this cart. 

The reapers pulled one of the bodies off of us. I went rigid, trying to make myself even more dead. I waited for a second as the Reapers headed away from the cart and then poked my head up. Oh God. They were eating the bodies. I turned away, covering my mouth. 

"Okay, come on," Clarke said, hopping out of the cart. I followed closely behind, but Anya was a bit slower. She held one of the nearly dead in her lap, her eyes full of pain. 

"Yu gonplei ste odon," she murmured, and then broke his neck. I bit my lip. Horrible. A better fate than being eaten alive, I supposed, but it was still terrible. 

I waited for the two of them to pull on some clothes and then we headed away from the Reapers, trying to keep our footfalls as quiet as possible. 

"Damn it!" Clarke huffed after a while of racing through the tunnels. "This place is a maze!" 

Anya paused, and started coughing. "What are they doing to us?" 

"They use your blood," I replied, keeping my eyes on either end of the tunnel for any sign of anyone following us. "We saw a soldier come in with some radiation burns. Hours later he was fine." 

"It's like your blood is healing them somehow," Clarke added. "I've never seen anything like it." 

Unease twisted my stomach around. A terrible thought gnawed at my brain. If the Grounders were being drained for their blood, did my friends face the same fate? Would I have if I had stayed? I let out a breath and shook away the nausea. We were coming back for my friends, so they won't have to face such a thing. 

A beat of silence passed before Clarke picked up the pace again, leading us down the tunnels, but again, Anya had a different idea. It was beginning to annoy me, and I didn't know why Clarke didn't just cut her loose, let her do what she wanted. I didn't actively want her to die, but if her constant hesitation got me and Clarke dead, then I was going to have a problem. 

"Hey, what are you doing?" Clarke called, as Anya turned away from us. "That's the way back to the Reapers!" 

"You go your way, I'll go mine," Anya replied.

"Anya, we need to stick together," Clarke argued. 

Anya snarled, "I told you there is no we!" 

"I saved your life!" 

"You saved your life because you need me," Anya replied, staring her down. "I know the way back to your people, I know where the traps are hidden. The two of you would never make it on your own." 

I shot her a glare and then returned to keeping a look out. "Wanna bet?" 

Clarke huffed and headed down the tunnel. I glanced at Anya and then followed her. "We don't have time for this. Our best chance of making it out of here alive is together. All we can do is keep moving and hope-" 

She stopped abruptly when she looked over her shoulder to find the Grounder gone. 

"Guess we're on our own," I muttered. Down the other passage, I caught a glimpse of approaching torchlight, which could only mean one thing. "Let's go!" 

Together, we raced down the other tunnel. Heart pounding, adrenaline pumping, I was in a state of motion unlike anything ever before. These tunnels were infested with people who would kill us without a thought. All that I could think about was to keep moving, so I nearly ran Clarke over when she stopped in front of me. I looked to see what had caught her attention and swallowed nervously when I saw a Reaper coming down the way we were heading. 

I turned back to see if we could run that way, but found another Reaper coming from there. Every possible path poured out Reapers. We were surrounded. I tried to run, to see if I could pass by them, but there were too many. 

"No," I whispered beneath my breath. "No no no no no." 

Clarke and I pressed our backs up against the cold stone wall dripping with water. Reapers closed in on us, snarling, covered in blood and reeking of death. I reached out and grabbed Clarke's hand, not wanting to meet my end alone, and hoping it gave her some comfort as well. 

One of the Reapers got so close to me, I was breathing his hot, stinking breath. I coughed and gagged, and gripped tighter to Clarke's hand. Just as I thought he was about to kill me, a high pitched ringing reverberated throughout the cavern. Around us, the Reapers clamped their hands over their ears and wailed as they collapsed to the ground. 

Wildly, I looked around, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise, and didn't find any relief when a few men in hazmat suits came running down the tunnels, screaming at the Reapers to get away from us. 

"Clarke Griffin, Y/n Kane, you're coming with us," said one of the men. 

I struggled a bit as two of them each put a hand around my elbows but let them lead me away from the Reapers. As we headed back towards the mountain, however, panic rose in my chest. I glance back at Clarke behind me, and she had the same fearful look in her eyes. Whatever waited for us behind that door was nothing good. 

"I saw everything," I said, struggling against the men. "I know what you're doing to them. We both do." 

"That's why you're going in the harvest chamber with them," said the man to my left. 

My eyes widened, and my fight instinct kicked in. As one of the men went to open the door, I kicked the only one holding on to me, and he released his hold on me. I turned to Clarke to help her, but Anya jumped down from the ceiling, tackling the two men flanking Clarke. I stopped worrying about her and instead focused on the man that had taken hold of me again. I grunted and yanked my arm free with all my strength, and then pulled his mask off, exposing him to the air. He screamed and clawed at his face, but I didn't wait around to see what happened, and ran after Clarke and Anya. 

Clarke stopped in front of me to pick up one of the men's guns. I flashed her a smile. She never ran out of good ideas. 

Behind us, the door flew open and several armed men in hazmat suits chased after us. Panting, I tried to keep my focus on running down the metal tracks and to not trip over the rungs. If I could escape, I could save everyone in this mountain, I could see Bellamy again. 

 _We will, we will, we will_. 

Energy pulsated through my veins as I raced through the dim tunnels, trying to drown out the heavy footsteps behind me. It took everything in me to stop myself from running straight off the edge of a cliff when we reached the end of the tunnel. I stumbled and nearly went over, but Clarke grabbed my arm and steadied me. I stared down to see a waterfall pour out into a large body of water what must have been at least a hundred feet down. 

Once more, we were trapped. 

I glanced over at Clarke and Anya, and widened my eyes. "Wait, there has to be another way!"

Anya shook her head. "There isn't!" 

"Just give up, you've got nowhere to go," said one of the guards as they all rounded the corner. 

Anya didn't hesitate. She jumped. I stepped back from the ledge, breathing heavily. Clarke looked at me with concern in her eyes, and I could only stare, pleading for her to find us another way. I didn't know how to swim. Water in those depths was terrifying. If I jumped down there, if I didn't die when I hit the water then I would most certainly drown. And I knew that if I didn't jump, I'd end up as a blood bag for these people. But I was frozen. My crippling fear of the water kept me rooted to my spot. 

"We don't have to kill you, Clarke," one of the guards said as the approached her. Another headed for me, but I couldn't make myself move. I was a warrior! Why was fear overcoming me now? "It doesn't have to end like this. Drop your weapon." 

Clarke looked over the ledge and then to me, and then turned back to the enemies. To my surprise, she dropped the gun. My stomach plummeted. Was she giving up? And then she glanced over at me, with a knowing look in her eyes, and I realized what she was going to do. I knew she expected me to follow. 

Clarke put her hands up, and slowly approached the men, then turned and ran off the edge. 

"CLARKE!" I screamed, still unable to move. My breaths quickened, and tears stung at my eyes. If I was going to stay up here, I was completely on my own. And for as much of a fighter as I was, I knew I wouldn't be able to fight my way out of all of them. 

One of the guards reached me, and grabbed hold of my arm. Immediately, I snapped into action. I would not die up here. If I was going to welcome death, it was going to be in the water with Clarke and not up here with these terrible people. I punched the man, ripped his gun from his grip, and fired at his shoulder. The man clutched at his wound, and I didn't wait for any of the others to react. 

 _We will, we will, we will_. 

If I went over this waterfall, I could see Bellamy again. 

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and leaped. 

Air whistled around me as I plummeted towards the water. All I could feel was exhilaration. Pure exhilaration. No fear, no worry. Just the energy flowing through me, the wind whipping at my hair. Before I'd even registered that I'd hit the water, I was in it. Cold shocked my body, seeped through my clothes to my bones. I willed myself to propel towards the surface. I kicked my legs until I could breathe fresh air, and took a large breath. 

The current pushed me downstream and I fought to keep my head above the water, but the waves proved to be too much. Water filled my lungs and a painful burning spread through my chest. I clawed to the surface again and coughed, but got another mouthful. I knew I was crying, but my tears mixed with the river water and the dried blood on my face. 

_We will, we will, we will._

I tried to keep hope, but my fear of drowning was overwhelming. I let out another sob when I came back to the surface. Wave after wave crashed over me, and every time I was plunged under, doubt and fear sunk their hooks deep inside me. But I couldn't give up. Not on myself, not on Clarke, not on Bellamy, not on anything. So I fought against the rapids, until finally the water calmed, and I crawled out onto shore. 

Kneeling, I coughed violently until it felt like my lung was the next to come up. Vomit followed close after until my stomach was completely empty. My chest burned and my throat was raw, but I was alive. Panting heavily, I rolled over onto my back to allow myself some time for recuperation. When I was rested, I would look for Clarke. 

Despite everything, I laughed. I had escaped the mountain. And now, I could find the survivors from the Ark. I could find Bellamy. Tears streamed down my face again, but this time they were out of happiness. I was so close to going home. 

But as I sat up, I realized just how far from that I was. Anya was crouching beside me, staring. My fingers ran across the ground searching for anything to use as a weapon, to no avail. Before I could react, Anya dashed a rock across the side of my head. Blood trailed down the side of my face, hot and sticky. Disorientation took over my mind, and I couldn't do anything to fight back as she tied rope around my wrists. 

"What are you doing?" I managed to ask, through rattling breaths. 

"I need a prize if I'm going to show my face back home," she snarled. "And you and Clarke are perfect." 

I struggled against the bonds around my wrists, but Anya yanked on the long rope, tightening it. Down the river bank, I saw Clarke barely conscious, her hands tied as well. Anya grabbed the leading rope around her wrists as well and forced her to her feet. 

I shot her an apologetic look, and then turned my gaze to the ground. I was so, so close.


	4. Many Happy Returns

Panting, I struggled to keep up with Anya. We'd been walking for hours without rest and my limbs were crying for rest. My wrists burned from the tight rope, and Clarke wasn't looking much better. Angrier, for sure. I was too exhausted to be that angry. 

"We've been walking for hours," I complained. "Where are we going?" 

"Quiet," Anya ordered. I rolled my eyes, but clamped my mouth shut. Maybe it was better that I just figure a way out of this situation. It was two against one. Surely we could beat her. 

"Why not just kill us and get it over with?" Clarke huffed. 

"Yeah, how about let's not," I muttered beneath my breath. I wasn't sure if Anya heard, but Clarke shot me an annoyed look. Excuse me if I didn't want to die. 

"You can tell the Commander what the Mountain Men are doing to us there," Anya replied without missing a beat or turning around. 

"So let's work together," Clarke said, yanking on the rope. Finally we stopped. I relished in the rest, not caring if it was only going to last for a moment. "We don't have to be enemies." 

I agreed. That would make life down here so much easier if we could all get along. Of course, I didn't really foresee that happening. 

Anya scoffed. "And unite with someone as weak as you? I have what I need." 

I was offended, I wasn't gonna lie. I didn't see myself as very weak, but I guess these people had different views on everything. 

As Anya turned to start walking again, Clark yanked on the rope. "HEY! We both want the same thing." 

There was a beat of tense silence, before Anya grabbed us by the shoulders and forced us to crouch to the ground. I looked up to see some green laser lights sweeping the foliage and a dart impaled on the trunk of the tree. 

"They found us," I breathed. 

Behind us, a dozen or so men in white protective suits and masks carrying guns. Adrenaline pounded in my veins as Anya told us to run. I kept my eyes trained on the tranquilizer dart in the tree trunk, and as we breezed past it, I yanked it out, keeping it hidden in my hands. Thankfully, Anya didn't notice, but Clarke did and she gave me an encouraging nod. 

Racing through the trees I completely forgot about my exhaustion. Energy pulsed through my veins as I ducked beneath branches and nearly choked on leaves several times. When finally we slowed down, I was panting, my chest burning. My feet crunched on dry branches on the forest floor. 

"Quiet," Anya barked at me, clearly annoyed. "You can't even walk in the woods." 

"If I'm such a burden then cut me loose," I snapped.

Anya growled, "Heavy footfalls, broken branches, you even smell like them." 

We climbed up a hill and then crouched down. I exchanged a glance with Clarke and kept quiet. Down below, the Mountain Men walked at a leisurely pace, scanning the foliage. Anya huffed and pulled us down the other side of the hill and we took a stop at a muddy puddle. Not super appealing water, but my throat was parched. I cupped my hands and filled them with water, but Anya stopped me. 

"No. Not to drink." 

Annoyed, I threw the water down. "Then why stop? We should be running." 

In response, Anya grabbed a handful of mud and slapped it on my face. My mouth opened in annoyed surprise. 

"You reek." 

"You're not doing so hot yourself," I fired back, glaring at her. 

She narrowed her eyes and ordered me and Clarke to cover ourselves in mud. Reluctantly, we obliged. Slathering the mud over my face and clothes was not pleasant, but I at least found comfort in the fact that Anya was doing it as well. Though I supposed it was more common, comfortable for her. 

After another hour of walking, covered in mud and dried blood, we still hadn't lost the Mountain Men. I had to hand it to them. For as much as I hated them and despised what horrors they did in that mountain, they were the best trackers I'd ever seen. 

"How are they still following us?" Clarke murmured, as we peered over another hill to see a small group heading in our direction. 

"Because of you," Anya accused. She turned to her right and grabbed a large rock. "Time to end this." 

I stepped in front of Clarke, holding my hands up, ignoring my fear screaming at me to do the exact opposite. "Anya, wait! We're stepping where you step, we're covered in mud! I don't think we're leaving a trail." 

Anya halted, lowering the rock. "They're following something."

Clarke stared for a moment, and then seemed to have a realization, something I wouldn't really have thought of and I scorned myself for that. "They're not following us, they're tracking us. Search yourselves, if I'm right, it should feel like a small bump under your skin." 

Frantically, I ran my fingers over my chest, my arms, my neck, everywhere I could reach, but found nothing of the sort. Clarke seemed to come up empty as well. Anya ripped off part of her sleeve and found a bump on her arm. 

"It's you," I murmured. 

"Okay, I can remove it," Clarke offered. "But you need to untie my hands, I just need something sharp and sterile-" 

She stopped talking as Anya bent down and sunk her teeth into her own arm, biting at her flesh and ripping the tracker out. I gagged, and turned away from the sight. Damn, credit to her willpower. I doubted I ever could have done that. 

Blood dripping from her mouth, Anya said sternly, "I will not go back there." 

Silence fell over us as we trekked through the words for another couple hours. The sun was falling low in the sky, and heat beat down on me. Sweat trickled down my back, my hairline, everywhere. But the more we walked, the more familiar our surroundings became. I'd hunted enough near the dropship to recognize when I was in the hunting grounds. Clarke seemed to notice where we were too, and gave me a nod. 

Clarke yanked on the rope, and Anya turned around. "What?" 

"You're still bleeding. At least let me bandage it before it gets infected." Her voice was gentle, caring. But it was only a distraction. As soon as Anya turned to look down at her arm, I pulled stuck the tranquilizer dart I'd carried in my hands this whole time in her neck. 

Fear filled her eyes for a brief second as she stared at me, and clawed at her neck, but before she could pull the dart out, her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed unconscious. 

"We can find our way home from here," I said, pulling my bonds off, and helping Clarke with hers. I let her take the lead on trying Anya's hands, and just watched. 

"Looks like you're our prisoner now," Clarke asserted. 

Since we weren't sure how long it would take for the Grounder to wake, we crafted a makeshift stretcher from wood and spare fabric we found every here and there in the woods. We set her on the tarp and took turns dragging her through the forest. By the time we finally reached the dropship, my muscles were burning. I was going to be so sore tomorrow. But it was worth it if it meant I got to go home. 

The dropship grounds were empty. No one inside or around. Only a few white marks on the side of the ship was any indication that anyone had been here at all. I tried to read the washed away words, but the only thing I could make out was Clarke, and just barely, Mom, at the bottom. I couldn't imagine the hope that gave Clarke, but for me, my heart lightened. If her mom truly wrote that, if she was on the ground, did that mean that my father was too? Both of them were supposed to be on the exodus ship that crashed, but what if they weren't? What if my family was still alive?

I was so lost in my hopeful thoughts I didn't notice Anya had gotten up and freed herself from her bonds. At the last second, I turned around and held up my hands. "Anya, wait-" 

She cut me off as she threw a punch my way, and I ducked.

"There's two of us against you," I reasoned, but she didn't seem to care. All I saw in her eyes was a hunger for a fight. Fine, if that's what she wanted, I would take her up on that. Clarke didn't seem to want to. Peace was always on her mind, which was good for a leader. Seeing as that was  _not_ what I was, I wasn't going to worry about it. 

Anya threw punch after punch at me, and I managed to avoid a couple, but when her fist finally connected with my face, I stumbled backwards. Pain shot through my cheek. Clarke took the offensive for me, while I recovered, but she didn't last very long, and Anya kicked her down. She was motionless. Fear exploded in my chest. I looked around for anything to use as a weapon and my gaze fell upon a thick, long log I figured could work. 

I picked it up and charged at Anya, swinging it around. She moved out of the way every time I swung at her head. One more swing, and she grabbed hold of the log, leaving the two of us in a battle for strength. Anya kicked me, and I stumbled. She took the chance to shove the log forwards and then punch me in the face. I released my hold on the log and fell backwards, trying to ignore the white hot pain in my face, the blood pouring over my lips. 

Anya threw the log down, and I scrambled backwards on my elbows searching for another weapon. For once, the universe came to my rescue and my fingers brushed against the hilt of a knife leftover from when we burned the army of Grounders. In my other hand, I grabbed a handful of loose soil. Rolling over, I threw the dirt in her eyes and got to my feet, brandishing my knife. 

"I don't want to kill you," I growled, glancing over at Clarke who was rousing now. Good to know she wasn't dead. But I had to keep Anya's focus on me. 

"Then you will be the one to die," Anya replied. 

I lunged forward with my knife, aiming for her heart, but she grabbed hold of my arm and punched me in the face twice, sending me reeling. I fell to my knees again, gripping tight to the knife. Everything burned in pain, and I could feel my cheek swelling. Blood caked my face, smothered my tongue, dripped from my nose. But I was not going to give up.

I got to my feet and swung at her again with the knife, but close range fighting proved not to be my forte. Anya grabbed my arm again, and hit my arm, then yanked the blade from my grip. Without hesitation, she slashed the knife across my arm. I cried out in pain as my blood splattered through the air. Again, she drew the blade across my torso, but it only cut through the fabric of my clothes. Anya brought the base of the hilt down hard on my shoulder and then kicked me to the ground. I slid in the dirt and groaned, but rolled over and got back to my feet. 

_We will, we will, we will._

I was not going to give up. 

The moment I was on my feet, Anya charged at me, the knife in her hand. I couldn't stop her as she tackled me to the ground. Dull pain pounded in my head. I struggled against Anya as she pinned my arms down and held the knife at my neck. Just as she raised the knife to kill me, I dug my thumb into the wound she'd bitten into her arm. She cried out and I knocked her off of me. While she was disoriented, I climbed on top of her, pinning her down and punched her over and over in the face until my knuckles were split and blood stained my hands. I couldn't tell if it was hers or mine. 

Panting, I stopped, letting the stinging of my hands pull me away from my anger. I picked up the knife, and debated killing her. But as I turned my head to the sky, I caught a glimpse of something in the sun. Rising high above the trees was a weather balloon. I stabbed the knife back into the dirt and got to my feet. 

"You fought well," Anya choked out on the ground beneath me. 

"Do you see that?" I murmured, keeping my eyes trained on the balloon. Behind me, Clarke was staggering to her feet, she too staring up at the sky. "I knew it." 

"He lied," Clarke said. "Our people are out there." 

Despite the aching pains in every part of my body, I smiled. Tears stung at my eyes. We were not alone. Maybe my father was there. Maybe Bellamy was there. But my people were out here. The forty-six in the mountain were not all there was left. 

I turned to Clarke and found the same hopeful look in her eyes. We needed to get there before we lost sight of the balloon to the dark. We tied Anya's hands again and led her through the woods in the direction of the balloon. 

Night had fallen by the time we finally reached the camp our people had set up. I was panting, like the other two behind me. We stopped a few yards outside the fence, and I stared at the camp in awe. Remains of the Ark had become the new home, the lights illuminating the area. So many of our people were alive, here. Relief and joy filled me from the core. 

"Look at that," I breathed. 

"How many are there?" Anya asked. 

Clarke shook her head. "I don't know. A lot, I hope." 

She turned and stared at Anya for a moment, then she untied her wrists. I raised an eyebrow, but didn't question it. Clarke was my leader, and knew what she was doing. I was only going to be here to defend her. 

"I'm letting you go," Clarke said, tossing the rope to the ground. "I'm not weak, but I'm not like you. Our only chance against Mount Weather is if we fight together." 

I nodded. "To beat them, we'll need our technology and your knowledge of this world." 

Anya didn't seem convinced, but seemed to trust the sincerity of Clarke's words when she spoke again. "I know my people will help. The question is, will yours?" 

Tense silence fell over the three of us, as Anya rolled her gaze over the two of us, seeming to consider the proposition. To my relief, she agreed. 

"The Commander was my second. I can get an audience." 

Clarke nodded, and stuck her hand out. Anya gripped her forearm, and then did the same to me, a handshake promising to work out peace. Maybe we did have a chance at surviving down here without another war with the Grounders. 

"Please hurry," Clarke said. 

Anya nodded, turned, and started to hobble away. Clarke and I watched her go, and then horror struck me as a gunshot rang out, and Anya collapsed to the ground. 

"Anya!" Clarke yelled, running towards her. Another shot went off, and grazed Clarke's arm. She hardly seemed fazed, only focused on making sure Anya was okay. Pushing through my shock, I joined her. But I knew there was no way Anya was going to be able to survive that shot, not with all her other wounds on top of it. 

"Yi gonplei ste odon," she murmured, as the light left her eyes. 

Unable to look at the scene any more, I stood and stumbled backwards. Even though just a while earlier I'd been fighting her, I knew we just lost our best chance at peace. Standing there, lost in my horrible thoughts, I almost didn't hear the gunshot, but I sure felt the bullet tearing through my shoulder. Searing pain filled me, and I screamed, falling to the ground. Hot pools of blood poured from the wound, trickled through my fingers as I pressed my hand against my shoulder. 

Some guards raced out of the fence towards us. 

"Alpha team's got three Grounders down," one of them said, shining the light on his gun across the ground. 

Crying, feeling more pain than I ever had before in my life, I couldn't fight back as people, my own people, hefted me to my feet. They thought I was a Grounder. And I thought they were going to kill me. 

My head lolled as they dragged me towards the fence. I just wanted the pain to be gone. I just wanted it to end. 

_We will, we will, we will._

I couldn't give up. I was so close. I had to keep going. The pain was overwhelming, but I forced myself to keep my eyes open, to stay conscious. Soon, I would be reunited with Bellamy. He would recognize me, and everything would be okay. 

Everything was going to be okay.


	5. Human Trials

"Move, move!" The guards shouted, their booming voices making my splitting headache worse. Two carried me by the arms, and the bullet wound prickled with hot, stinging pain. Exhaustion washed over me, and I could barely make any of my limbs respond, let alone fight them off, let them know it was me. Clarke wasn't in any better condition, dragged between two guards behind me. 

A woman I recognized through my blurry vision as one of the heads of security called Byrne approached us. "Secure the perimeter. Teams of three. Hundred yard buffer. Open the gate!" 

My feet dragged on the ground as we approached the large metal gate, and passed through it. As we passed Byrne she asked me how many of us there were, but I couldn't find the strength to speak. I couldn't do anything. 

"Gotta get her to medical," said one of the guards holding onto me. "Move!" 

Around us, I saw my people clamoring to get away, terror in their eyes. None of them recognized me. None of them knew that I was one of them. Where was Bellamy? Why wasn't he here? 

Ahead of me, I finally saw a familiar face. Abby Griffin. She would recognize Clarke, I knew that. But would she recognize me? 

"Wait," Abby cried, approaching us. 

"Once the prisoners are secure," Byrne ordered. 

My eyes kept scanning the panicked crowd, searching for any sign of my father, but he wasn't there. Maybe he had been on the exodus ship. Maybe he was dead. I couldn't find it in me to be distressed. I'd already accepted the reality where I'd lost him. Now I had to worry about myself. 

"She's not a prisoner," Abby said, staring at Clarke. "She's my daughter." 

"What about the other one?" Byrne challenged. 

Abby looked at me for a moment, and thankfully she recognized me beneath the mud and blood staining my face. "She's Kane's daughter." 

Abby pushed past Byrne and raced to Clarke, touching her face, providing her with comfort. They had a heartfelt reunion, and I heard Clarke cry. Her mother was alive, and she deserved the elation I'm sure she felt. But my heart sank. My dad wasn't anywhere around. Neither was Bellamy. There was no one to comfort me. I myself began to cry again, but it wasn't tears of joy or relief at finally being somewhere safe. They were painful, sorrowful tears. Agony exacerbated all across my body and it was too much. I couldn't bear it anymore. I screamed. 

And then I passed out. 

* * *

When I came to, everything was fuzzy. It took a minute of blinking before my vision finally came into focus. Dull pain ached in my shoulder, my chest, and my face, but I was alive. A sling kept my arm in place, but against my better judgement, I took it off and tested the movement of my shoulder. Didn't hurt too bad, but I knew I wasn't going to be shooting bow and arrow anytime soon.

I was lying on a rather comfortable bed, familiar from the Ark. Honestly, I was surprised so much had survived the fall to earth. Thankful, for sure. Now that we had real beds, in medical at least, I knew life was looking up. 

Clarke wasn't here. I guessed my injuries were worse than hers and she'd woken sooner than I. Good to know we'd both survived the whole ordeal through the mountain. I hated to leave the others behind, but I would go back for them. We all would, and save them somehow. But right now, I needed something to eat. 

Slowly, I sat up, and kicked my legs over the side of the bed. An involuntary groan escaped my lips. I stretched out my sore, tired limbs. It helped, but not as much as I would have liked. My legs protested when I stood, but I fought to keep my balance. If I was going to save my friends, I had to be able to walk. 

On my way out of the medical site, I ran into Raven. She looked better than the last time I saw her, when she was dancing with death. Besides the brace around her left leg, she seemed alright. I smiled. 

"Raven! Thank god you're okay." 

She pulled me into a hug. "You too. I was worried you weren't going to make it through the surgery on your shoulder." 

"My what?" I asked raising an eyebrow. 

"You were screaming like hell," Raven remarked. "Bullet never exited, we've got no anesthesia. They operated anyway." 

"I don't remember any of it. I must have blacked out." 

Raven snorted. "I wasn't so lucky." 

By the pain on her face, it wasn't a pleasant memory. Nor the outcome so great, judging by her leg brace. I wanted to ask, but I knew Raven well enough to know her pride would be damaged. 

"I'm sorry," I said, hugging her again. "But you're alive, and so am I, and right now that's all that matters." 

"Always the optimist," she laughed, pulling away. 

I scrunched my nose. "Yeah I dunno that I'd use that word to describe me." 

"I know, Y/n," Raven replied, chuckling lightly. "I was joking." 

"You're always a delight," I teased. 

She shook her head. "I dunno that I needed your snark around here again. I get enough from Wick." 

"Ah, yes. Wick," I said, clucking my tongue. "Good luck hanging around that one." 

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks." 

Byrne walked past us, eyeing me suspiciously. I shot her a glare, but otherwise didn't care to waste my energy on her. I didn't like her, but I wasn't going to go out of my way to hate her. 

"Open the gates!" She yelled. 

I turned over my shoulder to see who was coming through. My heart stopped and nearly leaped out of my chest. Walking through the gate was Octavia, Monroe, Mel, and Bellamy. All bloody, tired, but alive. Bellamy was alive. Immediately, I forgot all the pain I felt, all the emotional turmoil, all the aches in my body. Tears stung my eyes as I raced across the camp, nearly running down several people. I didn't stop until my arms were around Bellamy's neck. 

"You're alive," I cried, squeezing tight to him, burrowing my tear and blood stained face into the crook of his neck. "You're alive." 

He returned the hug, and the absolute relief, the joy I felt was indescribable. Bellamy was here, and he was holding me. Everything about him was the same, his touch, his scent. The reality of his presence was overwhelming. Hope had done me right, for once. We had met again, and now I didn't ever want to let him go. 

Beside us, Octavia muttered, "Now there's something I thought I'd never see." 

"I thought you were dead," Bellamy murmured in my ear. "That the Grounders killed you." 

"I'm alive," I whispered. We pulled out of the hug, and I wiped away my tears. Looking at his face, I couldn't stop smiling. All that time I spent doubting, worrying, in complete grief over losing him, and he'd been alive this whole time. I'd truly never been happier than experiencing this elation I felt right now. 

Bellamy cupped my face in his hands, and concern filled his eyes. "What happened to you?" 

"Got into a fight. You know how it is," I replied, not being as serious as I should have been. 

He frowned, and pulled me into another hug. "You need to stop getting yourself into trouble." 

I snorted. "You're one to talk." 

I looked over my shoulder to find Octavia staring at us with a knowing smirk. Pulling away from Bellamy, I wrapped my arms around her instead. "I'm glad you're okay." 

"You too," she replied as we pulled away. 

Clarke came running up just then, enveloping Bellamy in a hug. I smiled. She deserved that same elation, to know that our friends were alive. I hoped for her sake that Finn was still kicking. 

"How many are with you guys?" Bellamy asked after Clarke pulled out of the hug. 

My smile dropped. "None. Just us." 

Raven caught up with us, just then. "Hey!" 

I smiled at her, trying to keep the spirits light, but when Clarke asked where Finn was, a blanket of discomfort fell over the five of us. If he wasn't with them, where was he? 

Bellamy said softly but matter-of-factly, "Looking for you." 

The way he said it didn't give me a good feeling. Something had happened to Finn, something that gave Bellamy cause for such concern. If Finn felt how I did when I thought I lost Bellamy, then I could understand. Going out of his mind with worry. Fear and love twist people into doing things they never thought they were capable of. 

* * *

"What?" Clarke scoffed, staring her mother down. "No. You can't just cut them loose." 

Abby sighed. "We don't have the manpower to send out two rescue missions and protect the camp." 

"Two?" I whispered to Bellamy. I knew other Ark stations were a priority, but what was the other mission for?

"Your father went to go make peace with the Grounders, to save all of you," Bellamy replied. "He was just as worried about you as I was." 

Despite the tension in the hallway, I smiled. Not only was Bellamy alive, but so was my father. Finally, I had something good. A chance to fix my family. To find that peace I was so desperately pining after. 

"They're either gonna get killed or make things worse with the Grounders," Clarke was saying, her voice rising. "Who we need to get our people out of Mount Weather." 

The rigid atmosphere made me want to pace, but I stood my ground, letting Bellamy do that for me. He had been grounding for me for so long I figured it was my turn to be his rock. Although watching him walk back and forth and back and forth biting at his nails was exhausting. I rolled my eyes. 

"I know you feel this is unfair," Abby argued. "But our priority has to be with Chancellor Kane if there is any hope for peace." 

"Bullshit," I muttered beneath my breath. As much as I loved my father and couldn't wait to hug him again, our priority had to be getting everyone out of Mount Weather. Seeing what I saw and knowing what I knew, we couldn't keep putting them off. If we waited to long, our friends would end up dead, drained of their blood. 

"If you wanted peace, you shouldn't have killed the Grounder who was gonna help us!" Clarke fumed. I widened my eyes and turned away from the scene. A cheap shot, but effective. Respectable, in my book. 

"I'm sorry. The decision's been made." 

"You're sorry?" I said, finally speaking. I couldn't stand it any longer. Hopefully my challenge meant something to her considering Kane was my dad. "You're sorry? That's all you have to say?" 

Bellamy stopped pacing and crossed his arms, standing next to me to add on. "Finn and Murphy are out there looking for your daughter with guns you gave us. And now she's back you're just going to abandon them?" 

All three of us glared at Abby, and the blanket of tension turned to stone as we stood in a standoff. Finally, Bellamy broke the silence. "If you can't spare the guards, we know the terrain. We have a map, we can do it ourselves." 

Clarke and I nodded in agreement, but Abby had something else to say about it. 

"No, absolutely not." 

"Mom!" 

"I just got you back!" Abby practically shouted. 

"Abby!" Jackson came running down from another hall, clearly distressed. "I'm sorry. We need you in medical." 

"You better go," Clarke said, her face taut with cold anger. 

Without breaking eye contact with her daughter, Abby said, "Byrne, no one leaves this camp." 

"Yes ma'am." 

The moment after Abby left, Clarke approached us and, with steel in her eyes, said, "We're gonna need guns." 

Thankfully, we had Raven on our side, who procured the guns for us and helped our whole plan along. Hidden behind a part of the ark, just inside the fence, Raven dropped a black duffel bag on the ground. 

"Scored you a few extra clips," she said, leaning on her cane. 

"Hey," Clarke greeted us, carrying two backpacks. I had one slung over my shoulders already, so she handed the spare to Bellamy. "My mom's in surgery and the team going after Kane just left. We should too." 

"Did you find Octavia?" Bellamy asked. 

"No. I found you." The girl in question approached us, a sword across her back. "I'm not letting you leave here without me." 

"Octavia-" Clarke started. 

"Finn and Murphy are headed for Lincoln's village. I've been there. Have you?" Octavia pointed at me. "Has she?" 

Bellamy rolled his eyes. "You done?" 

Clarke handed her a pack. "Lead the way." 

I smiled at Octavia, and hoped she knew I was always behind her. For as much as I mistrusted the Grounders, I didn't want to be at war with them forever, and she'd found love in one of them. So obviously, she was doing something right. 

Slinging a gun over my shoulder was a bit strange. Truthfully, I missed my bow and arrow, but I knew guns would do more to protect us. I would have to get used to this. Until I can make another bow, I would have to use bullets. 

Octavia headed for the fence, but Raven stuck her cane out in front of her. "Whoa, not so fast Pocahontas." 

Raven touched her cane to the wire of the fence. Sparks flew. I clenched my teeth together. I certainly wasn't planning on being electrocuted today. 

"I thought you said it was handled," Clarke muttered. 

"It is." Raven pulled a walkie from her pocket and pressed the talk button. "Shut her down, Wick." 

The radio beeped in Morse code and Raven nodded. Touching the cane to the fence again, I was relieved to see nothing happened. 

"Handled," Raven said, smiling. 

I smiled back and then followed the others through the openings in the fence. For hours we walked, all the way until dusk was upon us. My wounded shoulder ached from carrying the gun and my pack, but I tried not to show the pain I felt. I didn't want anyone, Bellamy specifically if I was being honest, to worry about me. But I couldn't hide the relief I felt when we made camp for the night in a clearing of the woods. 

Night fell as we made a fire. Clarke and Octavia slept fitfully, but Bellamy kept awake. Ignoring the exhaustion eating away at my mind, I took a seat next to him on a log. Flames cast shadows across his face, painting him in a somber light. 

"Hey," I whispered, trying not to think about how close we are, about the fact that our knees were touching. Maybe I was making a bigger deal out of it than I should have. But my feelings were powerful, and every time I even looked at Bellamy, my heart nearly beat out of my chest. Being in love sucked. "How are you?" 

Bellamy smiled softly. "I'm...I'm here. Worried about all our friends. But you being here, that's eased so much of my anxiety." 

I put my hand over his, without thinking. Even as my heart pounded in my chest, and butterflies fluttered in my stomach, I didn't let go. Both of us needed some more comfort. Reassurance that we were here, that neither of us was dreaming this. "I missed you. I nearly went insane worrying about you." 

He chuckled. "Same for you. But that's nothing new." 

I leaned my head on his shoulder and teased, "Sorry for always pushing your buttons. It's just so fun." 

Bellamy shook his head. "Why do I put up with you?" 

"Because you-" I stopped myself so quickly I almost choked on my tongue.  _Love me_ , is what I was going to say. But I had no idea if that was true. He cared, I knew that. But God, was it as a sister? I pulled away from him, scooting a little closer towards Clarke's sleeping figure. 

"Because?" He ventured. 

I shrugged, feeling colder, the playful warmth dispelling from my veins. "I dunno. You tell me." 

I looked up at him, and met his gaze. A gentle sort of love filled them, but I still didn't know which kind. I supposed I was happy with anything, as long as he was in my life. Hard to believe that I hated him when we first met. That felt like eons ago. 

"Y/n, the last time I saw you, you were getting into the dropship, just before the door closed. And the truth is I wasn't scared anymore. Because I was sure you were safe. And that's all that really matters to me." Bellamy put his arm around my shoulders, and I couldn't help the wince. "You matter more to me than most people."  

I stared into the fire, and beamed. "Bellamy, I..." 

Clarke sat up just then, and I trailed off. She raised an eyebrow at us, and I pulled Bellamy's arm off of my shoulders. In the corner of my eyes, I saw his face fall, which made my heart flutter. Perhaps it wasn't sisterly love. 

"Get any sleep?" Clarke asked. 

Both of us shook our heads. 

"I'll sleep when we find Finn," Bellamy said, staring into the fire. I glanced over at him, and then turned my attention to the flames as well. Strange, how entrancing they were, and how at home they made me feel when I'd been raised in space. "You haven't seen him Clarke. Losing you, the others, the war, it changed him." 

So I was right. Something had happened to Finn. 

"He executed the Grounder that drew us the map," Bellamy continued, staring at the ground. Guilt radiated from his being. As if Finn's behavior was somehow his fault. "Pulled the trigger without even blinking and walked away." 

Clarke shook her head in disbelief. "That doesn't sound like Finn." 

"No. It doesn't," Bellamy agreed. "I saw what he was capable of. And still, I let him go with Murphy and two automatic rifles." 

"I'm sure that had to be done," Clarke said, offering him a small smile. Neither of them seemed comforted by that thought. I certainly didn't. 

"When we got back to the dropship and no one was there, we assumed it was the Grounders," Bellamy explained. He looked over at me, and I met his gaze again. If I had gone back to find him missing, I had no idea what I would have done. Anything, probably. 

"Of course you did," I reassured him, trying to wash away some of his guilt. "You couldn't have known it was Mountain Men. No one could have." 

He sighed. "How long until chocolate cake turns into being hung upside down and drained for their blood?" 

"I don't know," I admitted, looking over at Clarke who reaffirmed my lack of knowledge. "But we don't have much time." 

"Okay," Bellamy said, wringing his hands together. "First we find Finn, then our people in Mount Weather." 

I smiled and nodded. 

"And Lincoln," Octavia added from the other side of the fire. I hadn't heard her get up. "I think we've slept long enough." 

I definitely disagreed, considering I hadn't at all, but that was my own fault. Like Bellamy said, I could sleep when Finn was safe. And Murphy, I guess, but I really didn't care what fate befell him. I didn't hate him anymore. It would be wasted anger. Better to forgive, forget, and not worry about his well-being. Easier on both of us. 

All of us picked up our weapons and packs and set off into the dark woods, following Octavia's lead. I walked close beside Bellamy the whole way, hanging a little behind the other two. 

"Oh," he said, after a while of walking. "I almost forgot." 

"Oh?" I replied, raising my eyebrow. 

Bellamy reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out the silver ring he'd given me the day I thought I'd lost him. He took my hand and put the metal band around my finger. It rested there comfortably, like a missing piece of me had been returned. "I found this around the dropship. Gave me hope that you were still alive." 

"Ye of little faith in my ability to bounce back," I teased, lightly bumping him with my shoulder. 

He chuckled. "Oh, it's gonna be like that, huh?" 

"Of course it is," I replied, a playful smile growing on my face. "Did you really think I was going to make life easier for you being back?" 

"Just the opposite in fact," he countered, rolling his eyes. 

"Good. It'll be fun, I promise. Probably more for me than you," I joked. A teasing glint filled his eyes, and I felt better. Soon, I'd have to tell him about my feelings, but I enjoyed the teasing for now. When we were marching on a serious, heavy rescue mission, I appreciated the lightheartedness. 

Bellamy shook his head. "You're a delight." 

"I know." 

By the time morning rose, I had transitioned into a more serious attitude. We were getting closer and I needed to be focused. All of us did. But I couldn't help the smile as I spun the ring around my finger. 

"This is it," Bellamy remarked, looking up from his map. "Which way to the village?" 

Octavia was frozen, staring at a tall, white statue of a man. I had no idea who he was, but he certainly must have been important to our ancestors if he had had a statue erected of him. Hopefully he deserved it. 

"O?" Bellamy said, when Octavia didn't respond. 

She raised her machete and pointed to a path just beside the statue. "The Reapers came from there." 

Octavia broke down into tears, and my heart lurched. I'd never seen her cry. She was such a resilient, strong woman. It broke my heart to see her like this. "I couldn't save him, Bel. I couldn't save him." 

Bellamy hugged her, and I watched on, wishing I could do more than say I was sorry. That meant nothing. Sorry wouldn't bring Lincoln back. 

When finally she recovered, we raced towards the Grounder village. Nearly there, and we heard it. Gunshots. I exchanged a worried glance with Bellamy and we all picked up our pace. Adrenaline pounded through my veins and I readied myself to shoot. Gunshot after gunshot reverberated through the woods, and I prayed Finn was okay. Though something in the back of my mind reasoned that Grounders didn't use guns. I didn't know if that was worse to think about or not. 

At the edge of the village, we were met with a horrible sight. I gasped, and gripped Bellamy's hand on instinct. He didn't seem to mind, though I wasn't sure he even noticed. Before us was a village stained scarlet. So many Grounders lay on the ground, blood pooling from their bodies, their mouths open in screams. I dropped my gun, and tried not to cry. Finn had killed all these people, nearly everyone in the village. 

Slowly, we stepped towards Finn, Bellamy and I still holding hands. I couldn't find joy in that, not when there was such crazed indifference in Finn's eyes. Love could truly twist people the wrong ways. I hoped that didn't happen to me. Or Bellamy. Or any of us. 

We stopped in front of Finn and Murphy, the latter of who looked horrified. At least we were on the same page there. 

Finn took a step towards Clarke, and she took a step back. "I found you." 

His words sent a shiver down my spine. At what cost? 

I leaned into Bellamy, and he put his arms protectively around me. I couldn't look at the sight, I couldn't look at Finn. All I could do was hold Bellamy, and wish none of this was real.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all!! I love hearing your comments and how much you love this series it really makes my day, so keep it up! I'm elated you're enjoying! More to come! Love y'all!!!


	6. Fog Of War

It had been two days since we returned. The massacre at the Grounder village had been burned in my mind and every time I closed my eyes I saw it. All the pain, the blood, the death. None of them deserved that. They were innocent, unarmed people. I know I had killed before. We all had. But never like that. Never without being attacked. 

I was so lost in the darkness of what I'd seen Finn do, I could barely keep my focus on Bellamy and Clarke. What we were talking about was more important. God, I had to learn to get over the events of war. I was a fighter made of anything but steel. I had to change that. 

"Tell me again," Bellamy was saying, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"It's a labyrinth. We got to the dam through this tunnel," Clarke explained, gesturing to the path on a map she'd drawn. "It's all connected to the mine system." 

"That's our way in," I added. 

Bellamy nodded, but didn't seem confident in the idea. "Sure, if we can get past the Reapers and the Mountain Men." 

I rolled my eyes. "Always looking on the down side." 

He crossed his arms and turned his attention to Clarke, again prompting me to roll my eyes. In the last two days, a sort of rift had come between us, and I wasn't sure why. Maybe it really was just seeing Finn so changed. Or maybe he was offended because I'd shifted away from him that night by the fire. Whatever it was, it was dumb and I wished I could do something to fix it. 

"I swear to God if your mom doesn't sanction a mission soon, I'm going by myself," Bellamy huffed. 

"You won't be by yourself," I said, giving him a small smile. I wouldn't leave his side again, not until I was sure there was peace to be had. 

Bellamy returned the smile, and gave me a single nod. 

"I guess the inquisition's over," Clarke remarked, staring past us. I turned to find Finn stepping out of the Ark, looking miffed. He and Murphy had been interrogated for what seemed forever about the slaughter at the Grounder village. 

"How's Finn doing anyway?" Bellamy asked. 

Clarke sighed and stared down at her hands. "I haven't talked to him since we got back. I don't know what to say." 

I couldn't blame her. I wasn't as close with Finn as she was, but he was still my friend and I felt the same. Nothing between any of us would be the same after witnessing that. 

"He just kept shooting." Her voice was so defeated, and it broke my heart. 

"We're at war, Clarke," Bellamy reassured her. "We've all done things." 

True. But still. At least he was trying to help. 

Finn reached the table, and tried to meet Clarke’s eyes, but she was to be unable to look at him. After a few seconds of tense silence, Bellamy and I exchanged an awkward glance.

"Next round is on me," Bellamy said, grabbing our cups. "Come on, firecracker. I could use some help."

I didn’t need to be told twice and I stood up, following Bellamy until we were out of Clarke and Finn’s sight. Bellamy put down the cups and sighed heavily.

"They've got a lot of shit to go through," he said. 

I snorted, trying not to sound bitter about the fact that we seemed to be having a similar problem. It didn't work. "Yeah, tell me about it." 

"Alright, what's wrong," he asked, setting down the cups of moonshine. I was surprised all the adults here let us drink that at all, but maybe they figured as long as we were in camp nothing else mattered. 

I picked up one of the cups and sipped it. Awful as ever, but I kept drinking. Monty's was objectively better. I missed him. And everyone in the mountain."Nothing." 

He raised an eyebrow. "Bullshit. What's wrong?" 

I downed more of the moonshine. "Fine. I'm just worried about our friends. You didn't see what I saw. It's horrible, Bel. And I'm scared for them." 

He took the cup from my hand, and looked at me with gentle eyes. "It's more than that." 

"Give it back." 

"Not until you tell me what's really bothering you." 

I huffed, and crossed my arms. "You took my drink. That's what's bothering me." 

Bellamy's defenses went up, but he still maintained a soft tone. "Y/n, seriously." 

"Seriously," I replied, staring him down. "That's it." 

"You don't have to be like that," Bellamy said, his eyes pleading. "Not with me." 

Deep down, I wanted to express to him that I was in love with him, but I couldn't. Instead, I let my anger spark, take control. 

"Like what?" I challenged. "Like what, Bellamy?" 

"Shutting down. Locking yourself away because you're scared." 

I glared at him, my fury flaring mostly because I knew he was right. "Yeah, well, you do the same when you're pissed, so that's a bit hypocritical, don't you think?" 

Finally, I managed to tick him off. Both of us were tense and on edge, and I hated that I caused that. I didn't know why I was being so difficult. Everything was getting to me. Worry, war, death, seeing Finn so broken. Lashing out at Bellamy was easier than dealing with my emotions. I knew I would regret it tomorrow, but right now I couldn't care less. If he was going to be distant from me for no reason, then I had the right to be irrationally angry. 

Bellamy pursed his lips and shoved my cup of moonshine back in my hands. "Fine. Enjoy your drink."

Guilt washed over me, drowning out my irritation. "Bellamy I-" 

He was already gone. I watched his figure retreat to his tent that he slept in, and then I stared down into the depths of my swirling moonshine. 

"I'm sorry." 

* * *

Most of the night I spent whittling a new bow with the best wood I could find around the camp, which was to say, not very good. I would have rather been able to gather something from the surrounding forest, but it was too much risk to sneak out just for a bow. At the very least, I had something familiar to defend myself with, and the precise work of carving distracted my mind from everything. When I finished, I collapsed into sleep. 

I woke up a few hours later, to the sound of someone knocking on my - or rather my father's I supposed, door. I groaned, rolling out of my blanket and stumbled to the door, opening it to find Raven standing on the other side.

She smirked. "Looks like you got hit by truck." 

I narrowed my eyes. "Screw you, Reyes. Tell me there's a good reason for you waking me up." 

"We're going to Mount Weather. Figured you'd want in on the mission." 

I nodded, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "Well you'd be right. Gimme a minute and I'll be ready." 

Raven pushed past me and took a seat on my mattress. I rolled my eyes and closed the door. While she stretched out her braced leg, I slipped on a clean shirt and pants and threw my jacket on over top. Only when I was lacing up my boots did she finally start talking. 

"Yesterday I found out Mount Weather is jamming us.  I also found a way to destroy their radio tower. Once the jamming signal is out, we can contact the other stations. Am I a genius or what?" 

I looked up at her and furrowed my eyebrows. "Yeah, I'm not answering that. Your ego is big enough as it is. So did Abby sanction this mission or are we sneaking out again?" 

"Actually, she’s coming with us, along with some guards."

"So we’re doing this within the rules for once? Feels weird."

Raven smirked, and I didn’t have to ask to know that wasn’t the case.

"Destroying the tower is the official mission. But Octavia, Bellamy and you have another one. You’re going to find a way into Mount Weather." 

"About time," I muttered, though unease filled my from the core at the thought of having to go back into that mountain. 

"Tell me about it. Clarke thinks you can find ruins around the mountain, that could lead us straight to the mines. Your job’s to sneak out, find a way in and report back. That okay with you?"

Reluctantly, I nodded. Whatever apprehension I felt towards the mountain, I'd have to get over it. If I didn't, all my friends would suffer. Besides, I needed a mission. A real one. To help me push the memories of the massacre away. And to distract me from my emotions. Of course, that was going to be hard, considering my mission was with Bellamy. 

We walked out of the station and joined the others. Bellamy, Octavia, Clarke and Abby were there, as well as a few guards. And to my surprise, Finn. Octavia was looking at him with daggers in her eyes and I couldn’t blame her.

We left camp, and I automatically took the head of the group. The woods were familiar to me, and I knew the shortest path for Mount Weather. No one seemed to have a problem with it, and I led them at a steady pace towards the mountain.

Sometime after noon, Clarke joined me.

"Hey," she said. "We’re close. It’s time."

She didn’t have to say any more and I nodded. As Clarke took the head of the group, I slowed down until I joined Bellamy and Octavia at the rear. Discreetly, we hung back and left the path, walking until we couldn’t hear the others.

"What are we looking for, exactly?" Octavia asked.

"According to Clarke, before the bombs, there were buildings everywhere here," Bellamy answered. "I’m guessing some of them had access to the bunker. So we’re looking for ruins, anything that’s man-made, okay?" 

I was about to reply when someone called Bellamy’s name. I cursed and turned around, scowling as I saw three of the guards had found us.

"Let’s go, right now," the one named Scott said.

"In case you’ve forgotten, we’re not under your command," Bellamy challenged, turning around.

"Don’t make us do this the hard way."

"Come on, Scott. Forty-seven of our people are prisoners in this mountain."

"That’s why we’re out here," Scott said.

"Wrong," Bellamy insisted. "You’re out here to find other stations of the Ark. We’re out here to find our friends."

He turned around and I was about to follow, but Octavia stayed frozen, her eyes glued to the ground. I followed her gaze and frowned as I saw hundreds of insects scurrying away. Generally, that's not a good sign. When I looked up from the ground, I found out why. A wall of yellow fog was steadily crawling towards us. 

"Acid fog!" Bellamy yelled. "We need cover, now! Deploy your tents, let’s go!"

I didn't have one. That was the price of carrying my newly fashioned bow and arrows. The arrows were not as good as the ones I'd had before because I was rushed this time round and had little material to work with, but they would function well enough. 

I waited anxiously as Bellamy and the guards got to work, while Octavia left my side and started following the insects. Curious, I followed her. 

"What are you doing?" 

She grabbed my wrist and pulled me with her towards a huge moss-covered rock. Bellamy called our names, but I had finally realized what she was looking for. The insects were disappearing under the stone, which meant this wasn’t a simple rock.

"Bel!" Octavia yelled. "There’s something in here! Maybe it’s the ruins."

Bellamy called for the guards as the three of us tried to find an opening. The fog was creeping closer, and my throat was already burning. Scott and Bellamy pulled, their faces red with effort and  _finally_  a door opened. I pushed Octavia inside and grabbed Bellamy’s jacket, pulling him along. But he resisted, looking at the two guards that had stayed behind.

"Hurry, quick!" He shouted. "Get inside!"

One of the guards obeyed, but the last one took too much time and he was swallowed up by the fog before he could join us. Scott pushed past me to try and save him, but we all knew it was too late and Bellamy pulled him back inside, shutting the door just as the fog reached us.

For an interminable moment, I stared at Bellamy, both of us panting heavily. Thankfully, he wasn't harmed. But we didn't speak. Both of us were focused on the mission and I figured he wanted to talk about us even less than I did. 

"Octavia, you okay?" I asked.

"I’m fine."

I looked at her carefully, not trusting her to say the truth. It was no secret that the Blake siblings tended to make light of their injuries, although I supposed I was guilty of that too. But for once, Octavia hadn’t lied. She had been the first one inside, and the fog hadn’t reached her. 

"Okay," Bellamy said firmly as we turned on our flashlights. "Let’s go."

"Where are we?" Scott asked.

"Looks like a garage." 

"More like a tomb," Octavia shivered.

I had to agree. The darkness, the dust, the deep silence only broken by the echoes of our steps and the skittering of insects…it was unnerving, to say the least.

"Look," Bellamy began, "I’m sorry about your man. But we need to find an access door to Mount Weather."

He started to walk away, but Scott stopped him.

"Sir," Bellamy protested, "that fog will keep us pinned down-"

Scott pulled out a gun from his waistband and handed it to Bellamy, interrupting his protests.

"We’ll split up," Scott said. "Meet back here in 15. Be safe."

Bellamy nodded gratefully, and he, Octavia, and I headed south, as Scott and the other guard left the opposite way. We stayed silent, searching for any door or passage that could lead us inside the mountain. I was on edge, dread forming a deep pit in my stomach. I wished I could grab my bow, but I knew handling the flashlight was more important. If I had my knife, I would have felt better, but as far as I knew, it was still lying on the drop ship floor. I should have grabbed it last time I was there. I'd have to find a way to get back there again.  

We had just found a door when we heard the echo of a distant scream. We froze, looking at each other with confusion.

"What the hell was that?"I whispered.

"It sounded like Scott," Bellamy answered. "Let’s go."

We headed for the source of the scream, and as we drew nearer, we began to hear music. Haunting music, filling the darkness around us. Steeling myself against my fear, I gripped tighter to the flashlight as we stepped forwards. 

"Scott?" Bellamy called as we crouched near an abandoned car. "Are you there?"

We advanced a few steps more, and found one of the rifles and a flashlight on the floor. There was a strange crunching sound, and I exchanged a puzzled look with Octavia. Bellamy turned the light to the other side, and I froze.

Crouched around a body, there were two men. It took me some time to realize what was happening. The dead man was one of the guards, I couldn’t see which one. But the thing that shocked me more was the gaping wound in his chest, the entrails spilling out. The two men, blood covered Grounders it seemed, had their hands inside the wound.

"Oh god," I choked, trying not to puke. Just like in the tunnels with the Reapers, I felt my stomach twist at the sight. "They’re  _eating_ him."

"Reapers," Octavia breathed out. 

Abruptly, they stopped and turned, heading straight for us. My heart stopped, and in a split second, I'd dropped my light and had an arrow drawn, ready to fire. But it was no matter, as Bellamy open fired on the Reapers, killing them in a matter of seconds. Still, I didn't return the arrow to the quiver. No way was I going to trade out a defensive weapon for a sliver of light when I could very well die. I didn't want to have to rely on Bellamy and Octavia for protection when I was perfectly capable myself. 

Trying to keep our breaths and footfalls silent, we maneuvered through the century old cars, searching for the other guard. It wasn't long before we found him, but he too had met an unfortunate end. Another reaper was crouched over him, making a feast out of his entrails. Miraculously, he hadn’t seen us and Bellamy prepared himself to shoot.

"Don’t!" Octavia gasped. "It’s Lincoln."

I breathed in sharply, and now that she had said it, I recognized him. What had happened to him? I knew he had been captured by Reapers, but, like Octavia, I had assumed he was dead. This changed everything.

Lincoln rose to his feet, his eyes fixed on Octavia. But they were empty, void of any and all emotion. She kept calling his name, but it was as if he didn’t hear her. She begged Bellamy not to kill him, even as Lincoln started running towards us. He threw himself at Octavia, grabbing her roughly and throwing her at a car. He then started advancing towards Bellamy. I was ready to shoot him, not seeing any other solution, when the sound of a shot echoed in the empty garage. But it wasn’t Bellamy who had pulled the trigger. It was Octavia. 

She looked at the wound in Lincoln’s leg with haunted eyes. Bellamy took the opportunity to hit him in the head with the butt of his rifle. The man collapsed to the ground with a groan, unconscious.

"Shit," I cursed. "What do we do?"

"We need to get somewhere safe," Bellamy said as he helped Octavia up.

"We can’t leave him here!" I protested.

He shot me a glare, and I tried to make myself more imposing, but figured it wasn't worth it. Now was not the time for another petty argument. "We don't have a choice." 

He pushed me forward with his free arm and I didn’t protest any further. Especially since Lincoln was already showing signs of waking up. We ran through the garage, searching for a place to hide. The fog kept us trapped, and none of the doors we found opened.

Finally, Octavia saw a car that seemed to be big enough to shelter the three of us. I broke a window with my elbow and unlocked it, ushering Octavia and Bellamy inside before joining them. I closed the door and spread my jacket over the window to hide the opening.

"He’s a reaper," Octavia whispered, her breathing shallow. Bellamy held her against him and I stroked her arm, but it didn’t seem to be any use. Her eyes were wide, her body shivering. "How’s it even possible? He just looked right through me." 

Tentatively, I glanced at Bellamy. If I had seen him as a Reaper, staring at me with empty eyes, I would have broken down. Jesus Christ, I needed to fix this thing between us before one of us died. I reached out to give him a comforting touch, hopefully to let him know I hadn't meant to hurt him last night, but shattering glass caught my attention. I snapped my head in the direction of the sound and pulled my hand away from Bellamy before I could touch him. 

Lincoln was right next to the car, stepping on the remnants of the window. Bellamy shushed his sister but she kept whispering, and Lincoln whirled around with a growl, his eyes staring at the window. Octavia froze, looking at him with haunted eyes.

"Can he see us?" She whispered.

"I don’t know," Bellamy answered, pulling Octavia closer to him, a protective arm over her back. I tried to ignore the pang of dejection that struck my chest. She was his sister. I understood. 

My hand covered my mouth, in a feeble attempt to stifle my sharp, panicked breathing.  _Finally_ , Lincoln ran a bloody hand on the car and left, stumbling further down in the garage. I closed my eyes and sagged against Octavia, nearly lightheaded from relief.

"Shh," Bellamy said as Octavia started shaking even more. "Just listen to me. I’ll get him back, I promise."

"How?" I whispered.

"We could trick him," Octavia answered. "Use one of us as bait and knock him out."

"And then what? We have nothing to tie him up."

"Scott had rope in his pack," Bellamy said. "I saw him put it in there. We just have to get it."

I took a deep breath, and ran a hand through my hair. Clearly, I was the expendable one here, so if anyone was going to risk their life for this, it was going to be me. Plus, if I nearly died, maybe it would scare both me and Bellamy into talking. 

"Fine," I said. "I’ll go get the damn rope. You two stay in here."

I got on my knees, ready to open the door, but Bellamy stopped me. 

"No way. I’m not letting you go alone."

I sat back down, turning until I could face him. "Bellamy, I'm a fighter. A hunter. One of the best stealth experts down here. You are not. I can sneak past hordes of boars without being seen. Lincoln will not be a problem." 

"I should go." 

"Goddammit, no, Bellamy. I'm going and you can't stop me. You're too loud and Octavia...is not the best option for this right now." I shot her an apologetic glance, but she didn't even seem to be listening. "Sorry. But I'm right." 

Before he could object to it any more than he already had, I opened the door as quietly as I could and slipped down to the cold, concrete floor. Relying on my hearing and memory of the layout, I steadily made my way through the garage. Darkness beat down on me, and the silence was suffocating. Everything was so quiet, I could almost hear my blood pumping throughout my veins. 

I took a slow, deep breath to calm down. Lincoln's life was on the line if I didn't keep calm. Mine too. Finally in a tranquil state, I picked up my pace. Strangely, I was comfortable now, as if I was hunting a boar and not one of my friends. 

I smelled Scott’s body before I saw it in the bright glow of his abandoned flashlight. The problem was, I wasn’t alone. Lincoln was back, devouring what seemed to be Scott’s liver. I fought not to gag as I tried to think about what to do. What was he doing here? He was supposed to be searching for us on the other side of the garage!

I could have turned back. Gone to the car and informed Bellamy and Octavia of the situation. But not only would it take even longer, I loathed the idea of turning my back to Lincoln. No, I had to get the rope. Question was whether I was going to try to fight him or outsmart him. The latter seemed more doable, and more likely for me to come out the other end alive. 

Carefully, I searched my pockets for anything I could throw. All I came up with was some lint. I cursed under my breath. Guess I would have to part with one of my arrows. Slowly, I reached up and grabbed one of my arrows. I nocked it, and drew the string. Perhaps I could have shot him, but I wasn't sure that would help. Instead, I aimed for a car window a few spots down, as best I could in the dark, and fired. As intended, it sailed through the air and struck the window, shattering the glass. 

Lincoln jumped to his feet with a roar that was barely human. I kept close to the wall, completely motionless, not even daring to breathe as he walked past me. He disappeared behind a car and I knew it was now or never. Sure he was out of my range, I hopped to my feet and sped towards Scott's pack, which lay a few feet from his body. 

Rummaging through it for a minute too long, I finally got my hand on a rope. It was perfect; long and sturdy enough to immobilize an adult. I turned around, and allowed myself a brief smile when I saw that Lincoln had completely disappeared, off to look for the source of the noise somewhere else. My plan had worked.

I looped the heavy rope around my shoulder and began the long and tedious walk towards the car, where I hoped Bellamy and Octavia were still waiting for me. I kept listening intently, but there was only silence, silence so deafening I could hear every beat of my heart, every twitch of my muscles. 

I was a hundred feet away from the car when a hand suddenly closed around my arm and yanked me away. It was Lincoln, and had I had time to think, I would have cursed myself for my stupidity. He hadn’t left at all. He had been waiting for me to pass by, hiding behind a car, and I had fallen into his trap.

I tried to scream, but he shoved me against the concrete wall and the air left my lungs in a startled breath. I scratched at his face, but he didn’t seem to care and shoved me once again against the wall. Sharp pain shot through the wound in my shoulder, and a few tears slipped down my face. I could barely breathe, but I wasn't going to let him win. 

Kicking forwards, I managed to connect with his groin hard enough that he grunted and released his hold on me. I crumpled to the ground, gasping for air. Before I could get to my feet, Lincoln was hovering above me. I scrambled backwards on my elbows, but he dropped down on me, and stared. Blood - Scott's blood - dripped from his mouth onto my face, and his reeking hot breath made me gag. I tried to pull myself out from his grip, but he had me pinned, and I couldn't move. 

Visceral terror exploded in my chest, and my vision blurred with tears. Finally, an impulsive dumb-ass decision, was gonna get me killed. 

"Bellamy!" I screamed. I hated how desperate I sounded, how afraid. But I truly believed I was about to die. Tears streamed down my face as I tried to keep Lincoln at bay, to keep him from breaking my neck. "BELLAMY!" 

Crackles of electricity lit the darkness around me, and the stench of burning flesh smothered my nose. Lincoln fell to the ground, and I stared upwards to see Bellamy holding a baton he'd surely stolen from one of the guards. I choked back another sob and didn't get up until Bellamy extended a hand to me. Gratefully, I accepted it. Once on my feet, I wiped away the tears and blood on my face, but it only smeared. 

"Octavia, get the rope," Bellamy said as he stared at Lincoln, his face blank.

Octavia gently took the rope from around my shoulder and the siblings made quick work of tying Lincoln up. Only once it was done did Bellamy turn back to me. His mask fell and he breathed in shakily.

"I knew this was a bad idea," he admonished. "You okay?"

Slowly, I nodded. "I just underestimated him. I-I'm fine." 

Which was a lie. And he knew it. I saw it in his eyes. 

"It doesn’t matter," Octavia said. "We got him. What do we do now?"

"We take him home," Bellamy replied. "The drop ship is deserted, and it’s not far from here. We can hold him in there before we figure out what to do."

Octavia brushed a hand over Lincoln’s head, scowling when it came back stained with grime and blood. We took him back to the car, where we waited in tense silence for a little more than two hours for the fog to lift. Bellamy opened the garage door just a bit, and nodded to signal it was clear.

Dragging Lincoln to the drop ship was a pain. The man was heavy and still in a deep slumber. Bellamy had taken most of his weight onto him, but he was struggling and neither Octavia nor I could do much to help him. But finally, as the sun rose above the horizon, we reached the scorched drop ship. Once again, we heaved him to the top floor and tied him. I couldn’t help but remember the last time this had happened.

I could only hope this time would go better.


	7. Long Into An Abyss

For the past hour, Bellamy had been throwing me dirty looks, and I was getting sick of it. I knew all of us were on edge, stressed about Lincoln, about waiting for the sun to rise to fetch Clarke. But if he could just give me a break from the shade, that would have made everything a little more bearable. 

Lincoln had woken up about a half hour ago, and spent the whole time roaring, spitting, thrashing about, and I hated that I didn't feel anything but indifference. Sure, I hoped our plan worked and Clarke could do something to help him. But I wasn't fazed at all by his anger, maybe because it matched my own right now. I just wasn't acting on it. Yet. 

Now, Lincoln was still. Once he'd seemed to realize he wasn't going to be able to escape, he just stood there, watching us with eyes full of blood-lust. Eerie silence hung around the drop ship, and I couldn't help but feel for Octavia. She wasn't doing so good. I could see in her eyes that she was torturing herself, but there was nothing I could do to comfort her, to help. Only saving him would do anything for her. 

I looked up at Bellamy to find him staring at me, eyes narrowed. I rolled my eyes and got to my feet. 

"Octavia," I said, my voice gruff. "Will you be okay with Lincoln for a few minutes? I need a word with your brother."

She raised an eyebrow, surprised, but nodded without protesting. I headed down the ladder and Bellamy followed me in complete silence. I stopped once I reached the first level, and waited with a blank face for him to join me.

"What?" 

"Care to explain why you're so goddamn mad at me?" I asked, crossing my arms. 

"Not really." 

I tapped my foot in annoyance. In the corner of my eye, I spotted my knife, still in the same spot I'd left it all that time ago. Without another word, I turned and scooped it up from the floor. Turning back to Bellamy, I made eye contact with him as I touched the tip of the knife to my finger and spun it. Prickles of pain crept around the tip of my finger, but it was nothing. Making a point of being imposing, however, was everything. 

"How about now?" 

Bellamy scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay, firecracker. Like you're going to stab me." 

"You said to me once a long time ago I was not to be underestimated." 

For a moment, we stared each other down and then I sighed, exasperated. I tucked the knife in my boot. "Fine. I wasn't going to stab you. But we gotta talk, Bel. I hate this weirdness between us. Ever since we got back from Tondc, we haven't been...right." 

Bellamy ran a hand through his hair, making his dark curls wilder than ever. It was cute. "I'm pissed because you keep shutting me out, for one." 

I bit my lip and cast my gaze down. "Right. I'm sorry. It really is just worry. I've never been more scared for our friends. What if we can't get them out? I saw what they do in there and it was horrible. Horrible, Bel. And I think about it every day. I see our friends in those cages, hung upside down, and I can't handle it." 

My voice was taut, straining to keep steady and hold in my tears. I hadn't realized how crippling my concern was until now. It really was the root of all my problems. 

When Bellamy spoke, his voice was much softer, much less defensive. "We're going to save them. None of us are giving up until our people are safe. I certainly won't. You don't have to carry that burden by yourself any more. I'm here. I'll always be here for you." 

I smiled, and stepped towards him. "I know. I guess...I guess I just needed to hear it out loud. Which is dumb. I trust you with my life, so shouldn't I trust you with my anxieties?" 

Bellamy chuckled, and pulled me into a hug. "It's not dumb, firecracker." 

I wrapped my arms around him, and let his warmth wash over me. In his arms, as always, I felt safe. And now I could carry that promise of safety with me, now that we were talking again. I could do anything, take on a thousand warriors, a hurricane, God himself, with the knowledge that he would always be by my side, that I would always have his support, his friendship to come home to. 

"Wait, what's number two?" I murmured, not wanting him to ever let me go. 

"You drive me insane with worry. Sometimes I think you can't take care of yourself." 

I scoffed, but knew it wasn't meant to be snide. I worried the same thing about him. 

When we pulled away, I was smiling. Thankfully, so was he. In my chest, my heart pounded, as if it was trying to escape the cage my ribs trapped it in, trying to get to him. Confidence flowed through my veins. Now was as good a time as any to tell him what I'd longed to for weeks. 

I exhaled slowly. "Bellamy, I...I'm in-" 

Silvers of golden light picked that exact moment to pour into the drop ship, catching Bellamy's attention. He stepped towards the entrance, and pushed aside the tarpaulin. Dawn had finally cracked, which meant Bellamy had to leave. 

"Sorry, what was that, firecracker?" He apologized, turning back to me. 

Cheeks burning, I shook my head. "Nothing. But you should be going. Lincoln needs help as soon as possible."

He gave me a small smile and a single nod, and soon he was gone, out the door. I watched his figure retreat into the woods, longing for him to have stayed. And I watched the still forest until the sun rose above the trees, before I finally turned and climbed up the ladder. When I popped my head up to the top level, Octavia snapped her head up. 

"Hey," I greeted her softly. "How you doing?" 

"Fine." Understandably, she was curt and harsh. "What's going on with you and my brother?" 

I shrugged. "Nothing. I don't know what you're talking about." 

She raised an eyebrow. "Don’t play coy. I’m not blind, you know. I’ve seen the way you look at him."

My cheeks flushed and I avoided her eyes.

"I knew it," Octavia chuckled, nudging my shoulder. 

It was a weak, tired laugh, but I couldn’t help but smile at the sound. I didn’t particularly like the subject of the conversation, but if it helped her forget about Lincoln for a little bit, she could ask me all the invasive questions she could think of.

"You do realize he’s crazy about you, right?" She said.

I sighed, unable to keep my smile at bay. The fact that she said that made my heart soar. So Lord tell me why I couldn't tell him I loved him. "I’m not blind either. I know he cares about me. But what if it's just...as a sister." 

Octavia snorted. "If that's what you think, you're blinder than you believe." 

I tilted my head. "How do you mean?" 

She just shook her head and fiddled with one of her braids. "You're absolutely hopeless. Both of you. You're crazy about each other, and yet, here you are, thinking he sees you as a sister." 

Her words made my heart flutter. There was no denying I was madly in love with him. But maybe there was never a right time for it to happen. "Anyway, now's hardly the time to be worrying about love and relationships, is it?" 

"I guess," Octavia replied, staring longingly at Lincoln. "Still. I think you could be good to each other."

Thankfully, she dropped the subject after that. But I couldn't stop thinking about it. Bellamy would never not be in my head. I truly was an absolute disaster.

* * *

Lincoln warned us of Bellamy and Clarke’s arrival when he began trashing against his bonds like a mad animal. Mere seconds after, they climbed up the ladder. Clarke startled as Lincoln roared, her eyes wide with shock. 

"It’s okay," Bellamy reassured her. "He’s been restrained."

"I can’t believe we’re back here again," she remarked in disbelief. 

"Can you help him?" Octavia asked, clearly trying to keep stoic, but the pleading tones in her voice gave her away.

"I don’t know," she answered. "I knew Mount Weather controlled the Reapers. I had no idea they were creating them."

I grunted. "Definitely not something they'd put in that little binder of theirs." 

"If they can do that to Lincoln, to the Grounders," Bellamy said, his tone dark, "what are they doing to our friends?"

No one answered, but the speculation hung heavy around us. Soon, they could very well end up dead. All of them. And I shuddered to think how. 

Lincoln kept screaming, breaking the tense silence, his red eyes bulging with fury and hunger. But then he quieted down, and started shaking violently, his body tense as a wire.

"He's convulsing!" Clarke exclaimed. 

"So what does it mean?" Octavia inquired, her voice shaking.

Clarke observed Lincoln, and her eyes fell on the bullet wound on his thigh.

"What happened to his leg?" she asked.

"I shot him," Octavia answered, a haunted look on her face.

"You didn’t have a choice," I said, trying to be reassuring, and Bellamy nodded.

"Clarke, he’s lost a lot of blood," he added.

She approached Lincoln, although carefully, and frowned. "Can you shine the light on his neck?" 

Bellamy and Octavia pointed their flashlights at Lincoln’s throat and he squinted against the light, turning his head to the side. My eyes widened.

"Needle marks." 

"You think he’s been drugged?" Bellamy asked.

"Maybe."

I wasn't an expert on the human body but that made sense. Drugs would be an effective way of warping the mind as much as it had to Lincoln. 

Before any of us could react, one of the wires that tied Lincoln to the wall broke. He seized Clarke and tried to bring her to him, teeth snapping. Octavia ran forward, only to be knocked against the wall. Bellamy pounded on his arm, and he released his hold on Clarke with a snarl. Instead, he turned his attention to Bellamy, wrapping his strong hand around his throat. Frantically, I looked around the room and my eyes zeroed in on a heavy pole of metal, the same one we used to lock the hatch. I seized it and, gathering my courage, ran to the wrestling pair. It only took one well placed blow to the head and Lincoln dropped to the floor, unconscious.

Panting, I helped Bellamy to his feet. 

"What was that about me not being able to take care of myself again?" I challenged. 

Bellamy rolled his eyes, and smiled. "Alright, alright. I get it." 

I returned the teasing smirk, and then let my focus turn to the serious matter at hand. "We need to tie him up again. Better. We can't help him if we're dead." 

This time, we chained him down so efficiently I doubted anyone could have escaped. To make inspection easier for Clarke, we restrained him in a lying position. Thankfully, he was still unconscious which meant this was going to be much smoother. I hoped. Instinctively, I rapped my knuckles on the wood of my bow. Bellamy chuckled. I ignored it. I knew it was an outdated superstition, but my mother always did it and for some reason it always brought me reassurance, even if most of the time knocking on wood never really helped. 

"We have to stop the bleeding and get the bullet out," Clarke said. "Hold his leg down."

As Bellamy and I moved into position, Octavia tried to get water into Lincoln’s mouth. But as the first drop hit his lips, he woke up with a snarl, teeth snapping at Octavia’s hand. She drew back just in time, falling back with a scream. Shaken and tears glistening in her eyes, she stood up.

"I’ll get some more water," she said, her voice broken. 

Bellamy stood, placing a hand on her arm. "Once the drug is out of his system, he’ll be okay."

"You can’t protect me from this one, big brother," Octavia replied, dejected. 

Bellamy looked heartbroken, but one look at Lincoln, and his face became blank. We both held Lincoln’s leg down as Clarke expertly fished out the bullet from his thigh. I was impressed by how quickly she managed to find it, and in no time, Lincoln’s wound was sterilized and bandaged.

"Your mom would be proud," Bellamy said.

"My mom would know how to save him," Clarke shot back.

"It doesn’t matter," I argued. "She isn’t here. You are."

Perhaps my words were harsh, but it was what Clarke needed to hear. Encouragement wasn't always kind.  She nodded, her face set as she concentrated on Lincoln.

Footsteps resounded on the level below, and Octavia climbed up. But she wasn’t alone. There was a Grounder behind her, one that was vaguely familiar. Where had she found him? And why had she brought him here?

Quick as lightning, Bellamy seized his rifle and pointed him at the man. Octavia raised her hands in a placating gesture.

"Bellamy, don’t! He’s Lincoln’s friend, and their healer."

The man didn’t seem to care about the gun pointed at his chest. He was staring at me, his brows furrowed. He took a step forward, and his face came into the light, blue tattoos shining on his skin. I saw him that day at Tondc. It was his village Finn had attacked. His people who'd been slaughtered. 

I could smell the blood of the massacre, taste it in my mouth. Horror, the very same horror I'd felt when I saw Finn shooting rose in my chest. Panic gripped at my lungs, and my mind went fuzzy. I hadn't even been a part of the tragedy, and yet I somehow felt partially responsible. 

"Y/n," Bellamy whispered, his fingers brushing against mine. His gentle touch pulled me from my mind. I shook myself free of the memories and instead focused on the present. What happened, happened. There was nothing I could do to change it, and it was better not to dwell on the past. Especially if the events had nothing to do with me. 

Lincoln convulsed again, pulling me back to the crushing reality of the present problem. Clarke cursed. Kneeling next to his body, she shook him again. 

Bellamy kept his rifle pointed at the Grounder, but he took a step back, a silent permission for him to come closer.

In complete silence, the man reached into his jacket and pulled out a satchel full of vials. He selected a small one, filled with a clear liquid.

"What is that?" Clarke asked.

He didn’t bother to answer her. Instead, he leaned over Lincoln, the vial opened and positioned above the Reaper’s mouth.

"Yu gonplei ste odon," he said quietly.

I frowned. I had heard those words before. Anya had said a variation when she'd died. Why would the healer say them to Lincoln? I inhaled sharply, but Clarke beat me to the punch.

"Wait!" She said as her hand shot forward, stopping the drop of liquid before it reached Lincoln’s mouth. I snatched the vial from the healer's hand and rolled it between my fingers. What kind of society killed their wounded without even trying to save them?

The Grounder snarled and lunged at me, dagger in hand, but Bellamy was quicker. 

"Back off," he ordered, the barrel of his rifle pressed against the healer’s head. He glared and backed off. 

Clarke repeated the words, her brows furrowed. "It's what they say before death." 

I studied the vial in my hand, and lifted it to my face. Carefully, I sniffed. The smell was subtle, almost unnoticeable. But I knew the plants of this forest, and this one particularly well.

‘Hemlock,’ I said. ‘He was trying to poison Lincoln.’

"Nyko," Octavia ventured, her voice taut with emotion. Whether that was rage or despair or both, I wasn't sure. "Is it true?"

"Yes," Nyko answered, no hesitation or shame in his voice. "Death is the only way."

Octavia winced, her hand tightening on Lincoln’s wrist. 

"Hold on," Clarke protested. "There could be a way to bring him back."

"None that I’ve ever seen," Nyko answered.

Below us, heavy footsteps echoed. I grabbed my knife, but relaxed when Finn climbed up the ladder. I realized my mistake when Nyko jumped to his feet, fury contorting his features as he recognized the man who had murdered his people.

He roared, launching himself at Finn. He seized him by the throat, slamming him against the wall.

"Get off him!" Bellamy ordered.

But, if Nyko even heard him, he didn’t care. I shot forward, seizing his arm. I tried to pull, get him to let go of Finn, but he was strong, too strong. It was like trying to move a mountain.

"You slaughtered my people," he hissed. "Elders, children…innocents."

"Nyko, you’re killing him!" Octavia said as she tried to pull him away.

"Blood must have blood!" Nyko roared.

Finn was losing consciousness…but he wasn’t fighting back. He was pliant, his face blank as Nyko slowly killed him. Octavia was screaming at Bellamy, putting herself between the gun and Nyko as her brother ordered her to get out of the way. I kept pulling, my nails scratching at the healer’s scarred skin. Blood welled up beneath my fingertips, but still, he wouldn’t let go.

Clarke came to the rescue with a shock baton. Nyko didn’t even see her as she approached, letting out a scream of pain and shock as she electrocuted him. I still had my hand clamped on him and I cried out as the electricity shot up my arm, jumping away from Nyko. He dropped to the floor with a grunt of pain and Bellamy stepped over him, taking my arm in his hands. It tingled painfully like static had taken over my nerves. 

"I’m fine," I promised, flexing my hand. Everything seemed to be working fine. Just a little pain, that was all it was. I could deal. 

Doubt was written all over Bellamy's face, but he didn't say anything about it. Only gave me a comforting touch on the shoulder, sending a different sort of tingling across my arm. 

Octavia gasped. "Lincoln's not breathing!" 

Clarke ran forward, kneeling on Lincoln’s other side. She pressed the tip of her fingers to his neck, cursing after a few seconds.

"His heart stopped," she said. "Move!"

Octavia obeyed as Clarke started pressing on Lincoln’s chest, attempting to revive him. I was paralyzed, could barely breathe as we all waited in tense silence for a sign that Lincoln was alive. From the corner of my eye, I saw Nyko studying Clarke intently.

Suddenly, Lincoln gasped and took in several shuddering breaths. I sighed, relief making me dizzy. Clarke had saved him.

"He was dead," Nyko exclaimed, bewildered. "How did you do that?"

"You’ve tried bringing Reapers back before?" Clarke inquired, and he nodded. "They died like this?" 

He nodded one more time and Clarke frowned.

"What is it?" Bellamy asked.

"I know how to stop the attack," Clarke said.

"What attack?" I asked. Octavia looked up, confused as well.

Clarke filled us in on what had happened at Camp Jaha. My father had found the Commander, the leader of the Grounders. They had had Jaha imprisoned in a cell, and they had sent him back to our people to give them a message: leave or die. We only had a few hours left until the end of our allotted time. As for my father, they had kept him as a prisoner. 

"But he was alright?" I asked, my heart clenching in my chest.

"Yes. Or he was, when Jaha was taken away."

"He’ll be okay," Bellamy said, putting a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "You Kanes are hard to kill."

I smiled but it was empty. What was my father going through? Was he being tortured? Were they feeding him at all? Or had they just thrown him into a cell and tossed the key, letting him wither away and die? At least he was alive. I hadn't an idea for how much longer, but at leas there was still some hope. Soon, we would be reunited. If peace talks went accordingly. For some reason, that wasn't very reassuring. 

"Y/n," Bellamy insisted. "I know you’re worried. But we need you focused."

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. There was nothing I could do about my father right now. 

"Right," I said. "So, what’s the plan to stop the attack?"

"Grounders probably realized the Reapers were their own people," Clarke theorized. "So it’s safe to assume they know Mount Weather is making them. Thanks to Nyko, we also know they’ve tried turning them back. And failed, after their hearts stopped. But we know how to bring people back to life. What if we only have to keep Reapers alive until whatever drug Mount Weather gives them comes out of their system?"

"So what is this, then?" I asked, pointing at Lincoln. "Withdrawal?"

"I think so, yeah. Once it’s done, Lincoln will be back to normal. And if we show the Commander that we can turn Reapers back into men, she might call off the attack. Think about it! We could even ally against Mount Weather."

Nyko hummed. "It could work. But the Commander will want proof."

"So we’ll show her Lincoln. We just have to make sure he’s back to himself before she arrives."

"That’s got to be the most dangerous plan you ever had," Octavia scoffed.

"It’s the only one we have," Clarke said. "Alright. Finn and I will go back to camp. He will bring my mom here, and I’ll go talk to the Commander. Agreed?"

I nodded. Not because I was convinced by Clarke’s wonky plan, but because I had no better idea. Our lives now rested on one thing, and one thing only: Lincoln.

* * *

I watched, heartbroken, as Octavia wept over Lincoln’s dead body, her tears staining his clothes. Everything had gone wrong. Shortly after Abby had arrived to the drop ship, Lincoln’s heart had stopped beating. CPR didn’t work, no matter how long or hard she tried to revive him. He was dead. I glanced over at Bellamy to find him staring at me. I guess we had been thinking the same thing. 

_Thank fuck it wasn't you_. 

And yet, Lincoln didn't deserve that either. Neither did Octavia. The whole situation was terrible. 

To make matters worse, the hatch opened, and Clarke came through. Behind her, several Grounders followed, including a young woman whom I could only assume to be the Commander. Octavia’s weeping was the only sound in the room as we all stared at each other, waiting for the fighting to begin, as it no doubt would.

We had failed. Lincoln, our last hope, was gone. Clarke’s bluff hadn’t worked.

"Heda," one of the Grounders whispered.

The Commander looked at another woman and nodded.

"Kill them all," the woman ordered.

We all moved at once. The Grounders pulled out swords and daggers as we grabbed whatever weapons we could find. I took my bow, knocking an arrow and drawing the string. I moved until I was standing in front of Octavia, who hadn’t moved at all. I had a feeling that even if a Grounder put a knife to her throat, she wouldn’t budge. And so I made myself a shield. From the corner of my eye, I saw Bellamy shift as well, his eyes glued on the Grounders.

"Please," Clarke begged. "You don’t have to do this." 

"You lied," the Commander snarled. "And you’re out of time."

The Grounders were ready to attack, and I knew that even Bellamy’s rifle wouldn’t save us. Not this time. But suddenly, Abby did the last thing I would have expected. She turned on her shock baton and struck…at Lincoln’s chest. His body rose from the ground as electricity coursed through his system, and dropped back down.

The Grounders gaped at her actions, but Clarke had a wild frenzy in her eyes once more.

"Hit him again," she ordered.

Abby did, and this time, Lincoln breathed in. I couldn’t believe it. How long had his heart stopped beating? How could he be alive? Octavia crawled to him, whispering his name as he turned his head to look at her.

"Octavia…" he breathed, his voice strained and soft, but real. His eyes were a clear brown, far from the demonic red that marked the Reapers.

"It worked," I whispered, relieved. 

Lincoln was back to normal. And not only had Clarke and Abby saved his life, but they had also saved the lives of every single person in Camp Jaha. Finally, that peace I so longed for was within reach.

 

 


	8. Spacewalker

After Lincoln's miraculous recovery, everything happened so fast. Abby and the Grounders escorted us back to Camp Jaha, which we'd renamed Arkadia, and were left to wait, wringing our hands as Clarke went to go negotiate a peace treaty with the Commander. Lincoln was taken to the infirmary and Octavia went to sit by his side. As for me and Bellamy, we stood outside, waiting impatiently for news. Raven had joined us at some point, but I wasn't sure when. All I could think about was that this negotiation needed to go well. My father needed to come home. We needed peace. 

"It should be enough for a truce, right?’" Raven asked. "The whole thing with Lincoln, I mean."

"I hope so." I leaned against a crate and picked at my cuticles, giving my mind something else to do. "The Grounders seemed impressed. They’ve been fighting Reapers for decades, so knowing how to turn them back…it’s priceless." 

"Enough for them to forget about Finn, I hope," Bellamy said.

Two painstaking hours passed by filled with occasional small talk and pacing, but more often than not we just stood in stressful silence. Finally, moonlight illuminated two Grounder warriors escorting Clarke back to camp. Bellamy, rifle trained on the Grounders, shouted at the other guards to hold their fire.

The riders stayed outside as Clarke entered, and the gates were shut once again. She grabbed Finn’s sleeve and dragged him further away as we followed, eager for information. We were quickly joined by Abby, who embraced her daughter. People watched, tense, waiting to see what news she brought. 

"What did the Commander say?" Abby asked. "Is there a chance for peace?"

"Yes," Clarke answered, her voice firm and her eyes tortured. There was a catch. Of course there was. Nothing could be easy down here, could it?

"What’s wrong?’ Finn asked.

Clarke turned to him, slowly, her eyes defeated. "They want you. If we want a truce, we have to give them Finn."

Whispers broke out around us, the crowd shifting on their feet as the information was passed around. Finn. Finn was all that stood between the taut line of war and peace.

"What are you talking about?" Raven asked.

"That’s their offer," Clarke answered.

"That’s not an offer."

"It’s punishment," Finn whispered. "For what happened at the village. Blood for blood."

"That’s insane," Bellamy huffed.

"If we refuse?" Abby asked.

"They attack," Clarke answered.

Restlessness washed over the crowd. Shouts echoed around us, people screaming to give Finn up. Byrne and the other guards tried to calm things down, but the yells only got louder. I was painfully reminded of what had happened when it was just the hundred getting riled up, when they almost hung Murphy. Was this to turn out the same? 

"Give him to the Grounders!" A man roared, approaching Finn with an enraged, menacing look in his eyes. 

"Back off!" Raven spat, shoving him away. 

He went to shove her back, but a guard stopped him as Clarke dragged a struggling Raven away.

"Raven, listen to me!" She said. "Nothing is gonna happen to Finn. I promise, okay?"

"Maybe," I began, and they both turned to me. I hesitated. "Maybe he should leave. Sneak out of camp."

"What?" Clarke gasped. "They’ll hunt him down!"

"At least he would have a chance!" I argued. "I know it's a little insane, but he can't stay here." 

"How can you say that?" Raven snapped. "We can’t give up on Finn. We have to protect him!" 

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my anger under control. Raven was hurting. Finn was the love of her life, the only family she'd had growing up. I understood that she didn't want to risk anything happening to him, but for as much as I didn't want Finn to die, I didn't want all our people to pay for what he did. 

"I agree. But if it comes down to him or  _all_ of us, you know what we're going to have to do." I gave her a pained look, keeping my voice gentle, even as my words were bitter in my mouth. I hated what I was saying. Hated it. But the truth was never easy. 

Raven paled, and loathing simmered in her dark eyes, lighting them with a strange, sentient fury I'd never seen in anyone before. It was terrifying. But I wasn't going to back down. I knew I was right, and everyone else thought it. I was just the voice of the people. 

"He isn't innocent Raven. You didn't see what he did. Killing all those people. Children. Children!" 

I was well aware of everyone watching us with intensity, unsure what to do. Part of me hoped they stopped it before it got any worse, but part of me wanted to fight until Raven understood. 

"You're hardly innocent yourself!" Raven seethed, shoving my shoulder. I stumbled, but didn't break my glower. "You've killed people too!" 

"In battle! To protect myself. It's different, Raven. You need to understand that!" I argued, trying to keep calm, but failing miserably. "But you also have to understand that I'm not giving him up. I don't want him to die. I'll defend him, of course I will. But if it ever comes down to him or everyone here, then..."

It didn't seem to convince her. Raven was fuming, furious tears welling in her eyes. Her words were hot and her tone ice cold. "And his blood will be on your hands, same as those Grounders you killed, same as Charlotte." 

I reeled back, like I'd been slapped in the face. Raven hadn't even been down here when Charlotte threw herself off the cliff. Of course, she'd probably heard what happened through the grapevine, but she didn't know the kid like I'd known her. Charlotte had almost been like a little sister to me. My family, same as Finn was to Raven. I knew she was just trying to hurt me. It worked. 

Frozen, I blinked away a few tears that had welled up of their own accord. Several times, I opened and closed my mouth, trying to make my voice work, but it didn't. Nothing worked. All I could see was the unwavering fire raging in the darkness of Raven's eyes. Instead of trying to say anything to her, I forced myself to turn around. Walking towards my room was like trying to step through air made of molasses, on ground made up of quicksand. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think. 

Time snapped back to normal when I closed the door behind me, and threw myself to the mattress. Bursting into tears, I pushed the heels of my hands into my eyes, trying to stay the flow. But the tears didn't stop, and my sobs threatened to choke me. When my door opened, my eyes were red and puffy, my throat raw, my nose dripping with snot. I glanced over to see who it was. Bellamy. Of course. I didn't want him to see me like this, so broken, so distressed. But I didn't want him to leave either. 

For a moment I stared at him. Myriads of emotions swamped his eyes. Concern, anger, sorrow. But above all, a kindness unlike any other. 

I buried my head into my knees. When I spoke, my voice was small, shaking. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." 

Bellamy took a seat next to me. Not quite close enough to touch, but his presence was enough to stifle my sobs. "Y/n." 

I stared at my hands, rubbed them together, trying to wash away all the blood on them, trying to get those stains to fade. But it only made them redder and redder.

"Y/n," Bellamy repeated, his voice soft. He took my hands in his. "Look at me." 

Sniffling, I raised my head and forced myself to meet his gaze. I didn't say anything. Just stared. 

"What happened to Charlotte was not your fault," he said, his voice soft but authoritative. "There was nothing you could have done. Not about her, not about the Grounders attacking, and not about Finn in the village." 

"I always make the wrong decision. Somehow, I always fuck everything up," I warbled. "And now I'm going to lose Raven because I'm trying to make the right move. I'm going to lose everyone." 

More stray tears rolled down my cheeks, so hot they almost burned. I didn't bother brushing them away. Bellamy did that for me. 

"You'll never lose me, alright? Never. You can't keep torturing yourself like this. We've all made mistakes, and we've all bounced back from them." He lifted my right hand and rubbed his thumb over the ring he'd given me. "You forget what this stands for. Hope, Y/n. Maybe it's your symbol for it, but you're mine. Know why?" 

Trying not to cry again, I shook my head. 

"Because you never give up. Not on me, not on your friends, and certainly not on yourself. Raven's upset. Don't let her get to you. Don't give up. You have to keep fighting, firecracker. Or all the people we’ve lost, our friends, everyone died for nothing."

I remained silent for a while mulling over his words. But he was right. Damn, he was right. I sniffled and chuckled softly. "Never would have pegged you for the emotional speech type." 

"No, just the rouse a crowd for war speech type," he teased, his voice playful but still soft and comforting. 

Weakly, I smiled. "You're..." 

"Beautiful? A genius? Amazing?" 

My smile grew wider and I punched him on the shoulder. "A moron. But just what I needed right now." 

Bellamy wrapped an arm around my shoulders and drew me into him. I leaned my head against his shoulder. Enveloped in his arms, warmth tingled through me. As always, his presence was grounding, keeping my emotions from spilling, from turning into a jumbled mess. 

"Is there anything else I can do to help?" He murmured into my ear. 

_Kiss me. Tell me you love me._

I smiled softly, and closed my eyes. "Just hold me." 

And that he did. Even as sleep lulled us into its gentle embrace, he held me. Curled against Bellamy's chest, I realized for the first time in years...I was finally at peace. Perhaps it was only fleeting. Perhaps tomorrow everything would change, I'd go back to being overwhelmed with stress, to fighting, to war. But for now, in this moment, I was at peace. 

* * *

When I awoke, the bed was empty. No longer was I comforted by Bellamy's warmth. Only cold sheets greeted me. He was probably out there, readying for another fight. I appreciated that he gave me the extra rest. I needed it. But reality called. Reality sucked.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I yawned, pulled my boots on, and slung my bow over my shoulder. Shaking the exhaustion from my mind, I stepped outside. On the brink of war I had to keep alert and awake. Hardly appropriate to be falling asleep. 

My mood darkened when I left the building, greeted by the hopelessness on everyone's faces. The Grounder army was still out there, waiting for us to deliver Finn to them. I wasn't going to let that happen. Taking him away from here was the best option. I firmly believed that. Perhaps it was heartless, but I stood by my belief that no one else here deserved to pay for his doings. Same that I never deserved to suffer for what my father did on the Ark. 

In the crowd, I spotted Bellamy. I smiled, and he returned it. God I should have told him last night that I love him. Maybe it would have made all of this easier to bear. 

"Hey," I said, when I reached him. 

"How are you?" He asked, tucking a lock of my hair behind my ear. My skin tingled where his fingers brushed it, and I longed for more of that feeling. 

I sighed. "Better. Good as I'm gonna get I think. Thanks to you." 

"Ah, it wasn't all me, firecracker," he conceded. "You've got all the fight in you that you ever needed. All it took was a little push from me."

"I'll push you into the river." 

He laughed. "There she is." 

Grinning, I hugged him. "Only teasing. For now. But really, thanks for last night. What would I do without you?" 

He opened his mouth, a witty glint in his eyes. Before he could speak, I threatened, "Say anything like a smart-ass and I actually will push you into a river." 

Bellamy held up his hands in defense, but the glint in his eyes remained, along with our smiles. 

Chanting from deep within the woods shattered our euphoria. I turned my attention to the trees. Thousands of Grounders were shouting. Repeating the same words, over and over again. Blood must have blood.

It was starting.

Octavia joined us as we headed for the gate. Machete in her hand, bow in mine, grim resignation fell over us. Whatever was about to come, none of us were going down easy. That being said, they wouldn't either. 

Abby soon joined us and ordered the guards to open the gate. She stepped outside, staring down the two riders.

"Where’s the boy?" The one on the right asked, his words distorted by the mask he was wearing.

"We’re not giving him up,"Abby answered firmly. "We’re ready to fight, if that’s what it comes to."

A horn blared, echoing throughout the land. It wasn't the same as the one that announced the acid fog. I assumed it had something to do with war. Which wasn't comforting. The riders turned their horses around and galloped back to the forest without another word. I guess this meant we'd have to fight. 

"Watch the woods!" Bellamy ordered. "Watch for movement!"

I kept my eyes fixed on the trees, my hand clenched around my bow. Only mere seconds later, I saw a shape step out of the darkness. It was a man, and he was walking towards us with his hands raised.

"Don’t shoot!" the man shouted, and I stopped breathing. I knew that voice. I knew it better than I knew my own.

It was my father.

Shock and joy struck me, pulling tears from my eyes. I didn't care that there was war on hand. I thought I'd lost my father, but there he was. Alive. My bow slipped from my fingers and it fell in the mud, but I couldn’t care less. I started running. Hands tried to grab me, keep me back, but I escaped them and ran. 

"Dad!" I shouted. 

My father smiled widely as he recognized me and opened his arms. I crashed into him, my hands clutching his jacket as I laughed. Or perhaps I was crying. I couldn’t tell.

"You’re okay!" I exclaimed. "You’re okay, oh God, you’re okay. I thought you were dead!"

He pressed a kiss to my hair, his arms wound tight around my back. "I thought the same for you. I'm relieved you're alive." 

I didn't want to let him go. He was my family, and he was alive. Soon, we all might be walking right into a slaughter, and I didn't want to see him die. Nor anyone here. 

‘Come on, let’s get inside.’

He kept an arm around my shoulders as we turned, entering the camp, and I clutched at his jacket, afraid to let go for even one second. We stopped in front of Abby, who was looking at my father with a strange, deep emotion in her eyes. Same that I looked at Bellamy with. It was very disconcerting, to say the least. 

"Marcus," she said, and although her voice was steady, her hands shook.

"Chancellor," my father answered. I twisted my head, so I could look at his face, and I smiled. He was looking at Abby Griffin the same way he used to look at my mother. With surprise, as if he couldn’t quite believe she was real. And although I knew that could be attributed to the fact that he had been captured by Grounders, there was something genuine underneath. Seems I had missed a lot. 

I slipped away from underneath his arm, stepping closer to Clarke. My father and Abby exchanged a few more words, never looking away from the other.

"I thought I’d never see the day," I whispered. "It's strange. But I'm happy for them." 

Clarke didn’t need to ask what I was talking about. She knew. And although there was a bleakness on her face, there was relief as well. "Soon we might be family, I guess." 

I put a hand on her shoulder. "We already are." 

She smiled. 

My father interrupted our conversation to explain to everyone that he had managed to buy us some time. He left with Abby to talk about a solution, while I paced around outside, waiting for something to happen. 

Their meeting lasted for hours. The people around me grew more and more restless, fear making them angrier with each passing second. They were going to turn on Finn soon, I had no doubt about it. These were parents, brothers, sisters, wives, and husbands. They would protect their loved ones at all costs. And who was I to tell them they were wrong? If Finn didn’t leave soon, he wouldn’t have to worry about the Grounders. Our people would get to him first.

In the end, it seemed he had reached that conclusion as well.

"We’re leaving," Bellamy said. He had joined me outside, fuming. He believed Abby was about to give Finn up.

"Good. Finally!" I exclaimed. "Finn isn’t safe here."

"We’re going to the drop ship. I'm going to get Finn. Grab your gear. Meet at Raven's gate in five. She's cutting the power for the fence." 

I nodded and brushed off my bow. "I'll be there." 

* * *

"I checked again. Still no sign of them," Raven huffed. 

Bellamy, Raven, and I had been waiting in the drop ship for much too long for comfort. If they weren't here by now, something was wrong. I pursed my lips and took to pacing back and forth in front of the entrance. Bellamy kept shooting me concerned glances, but I ignored them. 

"Where are they?" 

Raven crossed her arms, her voice getting gruffer. I still didn't really want to be around her after our fight yesterday, but I was steadily getting over it. Perhaps if everyone was deciding to sacrifice Bellamy I would try to make everyone hurt as much as I was. "We shouldn't have split up!" 

"Shh," I said, raising a finger, and pulling an arrow from my quiver. "Someone's coming." 

Murphy popped in through the tarpaulin, and jumped back a little when he saw me aiming an arrow at his chest. "Hey, hey, hey!" 

"Murphy," I grunted, slowly lowering my weapon. "What are you doing here?" 

Murphy stepped past me and I turned around looking at the other two. "I believe I was invited." 

"I thought we could use an extra gun," Raven said. But the dark look in her eyes told me of a different agenda. Something else had drawn her to invite him here, and I didn't like the maliciousness emanating from her. It was so wrong. So not Raven. 

Bellamy nodded. "Might be a good idea." 

"Finn should have been right behind you." 

Murphy shrugged. "Don't worry. Spacewalker's gonna be fine." 

No one else seemed to think so. I certainly didn't. I had a bad feeling about all of this. I gave Raven a sympathetic smile, but she just kept staring past me. 

Not but a few moments later, Finn burst through the door, carrying an unconscious Clarke in his arms. Blood stained her hair and the side of her head. I slipped my bow over my shoulder and helped Finn set Clarke down. 

"What happened?" 

"Grounder hit her on the head," Finn replied, clearly frantic. I myself was feeling a bit panicked. Clarke was essentially my sister if what I thought was happening between our parents was happening. I wasn't going to lose her like I lost Charlotte. 

"I need a bandage, a wrap, anything," I ordered, trying to keep my voice calm. 

Murphy handed me some cloth and I pressed it against the wound on her head.

"Clarke," I murmured, "can you hear me?" 

She didn't respond. Finn put his hands on his head and paced around. Tensions were high, but I couldn't focus on anything but my friend. I didn't want to lose anyone else. Not even Murphy, for fucks sake. I'd had enough of seeing my friends die. 

"Clarke?" I cried, my voice shaking. "Clarke!" 

Thankfully, she responded. Not as much as I would have liked, but she groaned and her eyelids fluttered for a moment. I sighed in relief. "You're gonna be fine. Just rest." 

Finn stormed out of the drop ship, Raven following close behind. I glanced over, but then kept my focus on Clarke. He was upset. I understood. So was I. We just were going to express it differently.  

"Hey," Bellamy put a gentle hand on my back a while later. "Maybe take a break?" 

I pushed his arm away. "I don't wanna leave her. Bel, she's like a sister to me. I don't want to watch her die." 

He crouched next to me, and turned my face to look at him instead of Clarke's terrifying stillness. "She won't die. Clarke's a fighter, just like you. But give yourself a break from the worrying. Let Finn and Raven take over." 

Slowly, I nodded. Bellamy helped me to my feet and guided me outside as Finn and Raven took my watchful place. Together, we sat down outside the drop ship, keeping our weapons at the ready and our eyes open. I didn't really want to talk. Sitting in watchful silence was enough for me right now. Distracted my mind from Clarke, and everything else. 

After a while, I shifted my position to my knees, and caught a glimpse of movement in the woods. I motioned to Bellamy who trained his gun on the figures emerging from the trees. 

"Get out here!" He yelled. "We got company!" 

Finn came rushing out with a gun at the ready. Bellamy yelled at him to get down, and he did, taking cover behind a mound of charred dirt. To my relief, Clarke was right behind him. Thank fuck she was okay. 

We scanned the area, readying ourselves to shoot at the stray Grounders but, soon realized that escape was going to be more difficult than that. We were surrounded. 

Reconvening in the drop ship, I kept busy by pacing around. Bellamy kept peeking past the tarpaulin every now and then, but still the Grounders hadn't moved from their positions. 

"They're not moving any closer," Murphy remarked. 

Bellamy dropped the tarpaulin and turned back to us. "They're staying out of range. They'll be waiting until it's dark." 

"If we hit them now, we take them by surprise," Murphy suggested. 

I bit my nails and shook my head. "We don't know how many of them there are." 

"I'm not hearing any better ideas, Kane," Murphy shot back. 

I huffed and my irritation flared, but I let it fade away. 

"We'll give them something," Raven said, keeping her eyes trained on the ground. 

"All they want is Finn," Bellamy said. 

Raven glanced up, her gaze shifting to Murphy. There it was, that darkness again. This whole situation was twisting her the wrong way. I hoped it didn't stick. "Finn wasn't the only one at the village." 

"What are you talking about?" Clarke asked. 

"Raven, hold on," Bellamy stepped towards her. Seems everyone was catching on. 

Murphy turned to her, fear and detest clear on his face. "Whoa, whoa. Raven, I came here to protect him. You were the one who wanted me to come. You...That's why you asked me to come along?" 

Raven glared at him. "Enough Grounders saw him. They'd believe he was the shooter." 

"You sick bitch," Murphy spat. 

"Raven you don't mean that," I pleaded. 

"You know what they do to people!" Bellamy argued. 

Raven seethed, "They want a murderer. I'll give them one. Drop your gun." 

Raven lifted her rifle and aimed it at us, and a cold defiance in her eyes told me she wouldn't back down. Murphy took her up on that challenge and took steps forward until the barrel of her gun pressed into his chest. 

"Go to hell, Raven." 

"Put it down, Raven," Clarke ordered. "Like it or not, he's one of us." 

Raven's voice was even gruffer than it had already been if that was possible. She barked, "I said drop it."

Thankfully, Finn stepped in and pushed the barrel of her gun down towards the floor and stepped in front of Murphy. "Stop! Stop. We're not doing this. They've got us surrounded. The only thing we can do is stay and defend this place."

Bellamy nodded. "I'm with you." 

"So am I," I said, stepping forward. 

Everyone nodded, showing their support. 

"Murphy," Finn said. 

"Yeah?" 

"Go upstairs. Watch the rear. I'll take the lower level." Finn rolled his eyes over the rest of us. "You four take the front gate." 

We all exchanged glances, not sure if that was the best thing to do. But Finn wasn't having it. 

"That's the plan, alright?" 

Hesitantly, we all nodded and took to our positions. I crouched behind a giant log, aiming my arrow at the gate, waiting for the steadily setting sun to set and bring forth night and battle. Every now and then I glanced over at Bellamy to see him tense and rigid, jaw clenched, finger twitching on the trigger. My muscles cried for rest and so I set my arrow down, and touched my ring. He was right. It stood for hope. And I had hope this would work. We'd defend Finn. But I also had a gnawing gut feeling that he was up to something. Everyone always had another agenda. 

Leaves rustled, catching our attention. Immediately, I drew my string taut again, ready to fire. 

"Someone's coming," Raven uttered. 

"There," Clarke nodded in the direction of the sound and I aimed my arrow. But it wasn't a stranger. 

"Finn?" Raven said, dejected. 

He had his hands up, standing at the gate. I dropped my arrow and got to my feet. He was surrendering. 

"No, Finn!" Clarke cried, as the Grounders grabbed onto him. 

I brought my hand to my mouth. There was nothing we could do now. They'd taken him. There was no way to save him now. 

* * *

Night had fallen. Torches from the Grounder army lit the darkness with an ominous orange glow. I watched with unease and anger as they tied Finn to a post. Knowing these people, what they were going to do to him was not going to be pleasant. 

"They want us to watch," Clarke said in a hollow voice.

My stomach twisted. These people were horrible. 

"We’ll get him," Bellamy said. "We’ll get in close and we’ll hit them hard."

"Son," my father answered gently. "There’s thousands of them. Even if we could kill hundreds, they’d still wipe out this camp and your friend would still die."

"We have to try," Bellamy insisted, his eyes frantic.

I reached out and grabbed his hand, hoping it was comforting. He had told me I was his hope, and so that was what I was going to be. Even if Finn's fate was dire and inescapable, I would be his hope that no one else will meet such a fate. We would get our people out of Mount Weather and we would finally relish in peace. Finn would be missed, but his sacrifice would give us hope for a better future. 

Raven turned to Abby, calling the doctor’s name in a desperate plea. But Abby looked at her and shook her head.

Clarke’s face darkened. he slipped away, and Raven, Bellamy, and I followed. Clarke took out her dagger and gave it to Bellamy as she headed for the gates.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"I’m gonna talk to the Commander."

"What else do you have to say?"

"I don’t know!" She exclaimed, raising her voice. "I- I don’t know."

Bellamy called her name, but even he had nothing to say and he closed his mouth, his brows furrowed. Raven stepped forward, pressing something into Clarke’s hand. It was a blade, small and thin, and invisible once slipped into Clarke’s sleeve.

"Raven, no," I warned. 

"If she won’t let him go," Raven told Clarke, ignoring me, "kill her. Things will go crazy and we’ll grab you and Finn. Clarke, you have to help him. I owe him my life."

It was an insane plan. But Clarke nodded, and I couldn’t find it in me to tell her that she would only get herself killed if she tried to harm the Commander. Like Raven, I was clinging into one last hope: that Clarke would be able to persuade the Grounders to let Finn go.

Clarke slipped out of the gates, heading for the woods as we watched. I chewed at my nails, an old habit I performed when I was scared of monsters under my bed as a child. Now I was watching as my friend was going to die, and my other risk her life to do something dumb. We almost could have been biological sisters just on that front. 

We watched as Clarke approached the Grounders, as she crossed their ranks until she stood in front of the Commander’s general. We watched as she was kept back by a spear, as she moved forward anyway and as blood stained her shirt.

"Let her pass!" The Commander ordered.

Clarke stepped forward. We couldn’t hear what they said to each other; we were too far away. All we could do was wait.

"Come on, Clarke, do it," Raven said next to me, shaking.

Clarke, to my relief, did not try to stab the Commander. Instead, she walked away and headed for Finn.

"What is she doing?" Raven whispered.

Clarke ran for Finn and embraced him. Kissed him. Next to me, Raven breathed in sharply. We watched as Clarke embraced Finn, tightly and his head fell to her neck.

"Something’s wrong," Bellamy whispered.

And he was right. When Clarke stepped away, there was something metallic in her hand. And Finn was slumped forward, deathly still. A dark, undeniable stain grew across his shirt. 

"Oh God," I whispered.

She had killed him. She had used Raven’s blade and killed him, before the Grounders could.

Raven was shaking, tears sliding down her face as she slowly realized what had happened. She screamed, the sound raw and filled with so much pain that I couldn’t bear it. She slid to the ground, Bellamy catching her as she broke down. A few tears of my own escaped, and I couldn't look away from the scene. After everything we'd done to try to save him, he was dead. But the rest of us were saved. 

Our truce with the Grounders had begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to get out lmao I got distracted with life. Also, random side note out of everyone in this show I feel like (minus all the murderous tendencies and everything in season 1) I would be Murphy. I resonate so much with his dry sarcastic humor. When in the 6th episode or whichever of season 2 and he said "saved monty's still now only if we could save monty" that shit cracked me up lmao. He's exactly how I would act. Snarky and nihilistic.


	9. Remember Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally an end to the slow burn?

The truce began with a journey to the Grounder village of Tondc. As per Lexa’s terms, Finn’s body would burn alongside the victims of the massacre. Clarke had asked me to come. I had no desire to go back to that place after what I'd seen, but I hadn’t been able to refuse. Not when her eyes were still red, and her hands stained with blood. I hugged her, took her hands in mine trying to share the blood to let her know I could help carry her burden, but it didn't seem to help. I didn't think it would, but at least I tried. 

Walking near the Grounders was disconcerting, seeing as we hardly received a warm welcome from any of them, nor would we in Tondc. I didn't hold my bow in my hand, nor my knife, but I let their presence comfort me as we walked through the enraged Grounders. Each time I looked up from the dirt, I would find a Grounder glaring at me, or muttering what were unmistakably threats under their breaths. Everyone was experiencing the same thing. They wanted us all dead for Finn's massacre. 

Bellamy walked a few steps ahead of me, clutching tightly to his gun. Everything about him was so tense, always so tense. I knew beneath that rigid exterior was a gentle man, full of kindness and love for his friends. Protective, caring, and yet guarded, terrified to let people in and let them down. Everything about him was all I ever longed for in a friend. Family.

I had never been in love before. A few crushes here and there, but nothing to the magnitude of what I felt for Bellamy. God. I was going to go insane. 

"Y/n," my father said as he walked next to me. "Are you feeling alright? You’ve been quiet all morning."

I nodded, keeping my eyes on the ground. But my father would have none of it. He grabbed my arm gently, forcing me to look at him.

"You don’t have to pretend with me, kid."

I sighed, giving up. It was no use lying to the man who had raised me. "It's just a little much, you know? All my friends are locked up in Mount Weather and I don't know if they're alive, if they're being strung upside down in that chamber being drained of their blood, or if God forbid they think we gave up on them. Seeing Clarke kill Finn broke me a little. She's one of my best friends and I hate that she had to do that. 

I took a deep breath and continued, "Then, there’s that truce. I’m worried it won’t hold for long. Scared it’ll break before we can rescue everyone from Mount Weather. And even if we do get our people back, what comes after? Will the truce evolve into an alliance, or will we go back to slaughtering each other?" 

My father shook his head, chuckling. I furrowed my brows, wondering what, among all I’d said, was worthy of laughter.

"You sound just like me," he said, his eyes fond. "I would always worry above every little thing that could go wrong, long before it did. It drove your mother mad. You carry so much for someone so young. But you know what? Your mother would be proud that you've never lost your way, that you've stayed true to your heart." 

I swallowed, my eyes burning. How long had it been since he’d mentioned my mother in my presence? Two years? Five? She had always been a forbidden subject the last few years. But it seemed that, just like me, my father had changed.

"Do you want to know what she said to me, when I worried too much?" My father continued.

I nodded.

"Daima mbele," he said, and I almost choked on my own breath. No one had spoken anything other than English on the Ark for decades. I knew down the line my mother's family spoke Swahili, but I had never learned. It was strange, hearing it. "Always forward. Deal with what you can in the present, and push through it, to move forward. Always have hope." 

I smiled softly. "You and Bellamy with the hope." 

"He gets it. One problem at a time. Pace yourself." 

I snorted. "I'll try. Thanks Dad." 

He put an arm around my shoulders and held me tightly against his side, dropping a loving kiss on the top of my head. For a second, I allowed myself the comfort of his fatherly embrace. Then, I stepped out of his arms and walked with a new resolve. He was right. I would worry about the truce and Mount Weather later. For now, all I had to do was get out of this trip alive.

* * *

We arrived at Tondc the next day. I hadn’t slept well. Even in the relative safety of my tent, which I shared with my father, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong. I tossed and turned for hours, and only closed my eyes for a few minutes at a time. When the sun finally rose above the horizon, I was not in a good mood. But neither was anyone else. It was a tense, somber occasion. Who would be cheerful at a time like this? 

 _Monty_ , I thought.  _And Jasper_. 

They would. Somehow, they would lighten everyone's spirits. I missed them. 

As we trekked the rest of the way towards the village, I didn't speak. I wanted to comfort Clarke or Raven, but it would only come off as pity. I wanted to talk to my father but I feared I would burst into tears. I wanted to tell Bellamy I loved him, but it wasn't the right moment. So I just stayed silent. 

Finally, after hours of walking, we reached the village. Lexa and her right-hand man, Gustus, dismounted, and we were ordered to give up our weapons. Lincoln moved without hesitation, handing Gustus his dagger.

‘We need to disarm before we enter,’ Lincoln explained.

I handed my bow and quiver, and reluctantly, the knife in my boot. I felt almost naked, without the reassuring weight of my weapons. If anything went wrong inside the village I would have nothing to defend myself with. And I hated it.

Gustus moved to Raven, who glared at him, fury in her eyes. She made no move to disarm, and only stared at him as he took her rifle and blades from her himself. He turned her around, taking another knife from her backpack. Finally, he declared that we were good to go. As we stepped into the village, unease sat like a rock in my stomach, slowly eating away at me. I blinked and the ground was awash with blood. Another blink and it was gone. I sighed. This village hadn't deserved that massacre. 

Then, there was a hand on the small of my back, warm and steady. I inhaled sharply, raising my head and found Bellamy’s eyes boring into my own. They seemed darker than usual, and my heart hammered in my chest. He didn’t say anything, but I knew he understood what I felt. And I knew he had my back.

‘Stay close,’ he said gruffly.

Finally, I moved forward. Bellamy dropped his hand from my back, but he stayed by my side, his eyes full of fire. Octavia looked back at us and frowned, shooting me an inquisitive look. I shrugged. I had no idea what was going on in her brother’s head either.

The people of Tondc were, at first, elated to see their Commander. They cheered, broad smiles on their lips, eyes alight with wonder. That all stopped as soon as they saw us. There was a hollow silence as they realized our hands were free of bonds. That we weren’t prisoners, but allies of Lexa. Then, the shouting started. I didn’t need to speak their tongue to understand that we were being insulted.

Lexa stopped, and I looked above Bellamy’s shoulder. There was a man in front of her, his eyes full of fury. He spat out words in Trigedasleng. The people around us nodded in agreement, and stepped closer to our group. My father gripped my elbow, his fingers digging into the skin. To ground himself, as much as to make sure I was still there.

Gustus gave a command to the man, the tone clear. But when the man kept talking, Lexa gave a nod to Gustus. He shot forward and sent his fist crashing into the man’s jaw. There was a cracking sound, and the man fell down. Gustus didn’t stop there. He knelt on his victim’s chest, and kept pounding him, again and again. The villagers fell silent, horrified. Yet, none moved to help him.

Clarke then stepped up to Lexa’s side.

"Commander," she said, "stop him. Please. They’ll blame us for this too."

Lexa hesitated for a short second. Then, she gave a command and Gustus stepped back. The poor man was helped to his feet, and shot a glare in Lexa’s direction. But she had already turned away, facing the rest of the villagers.

"The Sky People march with us now," she said, staring down the crowd. "Anyone who tries to stop that will pay with their life."

The crowd was silent, and Lexa turned around, satisfied. Bellamy shook his head, letting out a relieved breath.

"Warm welcome," he grunted.

"Can you blame them?" I muttered. "I would be the same, I think." 

He looked at me strangely, and I shrugged. If I had seen him and all the rest of my friends killed like that, I would have been eaten alive by the grief, the anger. I touched my fingers to his hand, just for a moment, to reassure him I would always be there. Before either of us could say anything more, my father steered me away from him, towards the stacks of logs. 

It was time for the ritual. In the center of the village, a pyre had already been built. And all around, leaning on the woods, were the eighteen victims of the massacres. They were wrapped in cloth, from their heads to their toes. Finn's body went on top. Murderer was to burn with the victims. It was horrible, the fact that he'd killed in the first place, and yet I found this sort of poetic. Grounders were hostile and violent, but so, I guess, were we. Both of us had beauty in our horror. 

"Deep breaths," my father whispered in my ear. "One step at a time."

I managed to move until I was standing with the rest of our group, and my father put his arm around my shoulders. Abby, on the other side, took my hand. Lexa stepped up on a platform, and began to speak in Trigedasleng. The village was silent, listening to her words.

"People of Tondc," Lincoln said in a low, sad voice. Translating Lexa’s speech. "In fire, we cleanse the pain of the past."

Clarke breathed in shakily, her eyes glistening with tears. She watched as Lexa was handed a torch, and her eyes widened when the Commander called her name. The Grounders shifted uneasily on their feet, realizing that Lexa intended for Clarke to burn the bodies. A bold gesture. But Clarke obeyed, and stepped on the platform, grasping the torch.

"Yu gonplei ste odon," she said as she lit the pyre.  _Your fight is over._

Burnt flesh filled the air, the acrid scent burning my nose. My eyes watered, but I refused to look away. And as the bodies of Finn, and the victims of the massacre fell to ash, I breathed out. It felt like a page of my life had just been turned, taking what was left of my innocence with it. Even though I hadn't partook in the massacre, I still felt like I lost a part of me when I saw Finn kill them all. I was different now. Stronger, tougher. And starting anew with this truce.

‘Y/N,’ Octavia said as the fire died away, an eternity later. ‘Come on. The Grounders set up a banquet.’

I wasn’t hungry. Witnessing bodies being burned tended to take away one’s appetite. But still, I followed my friends as we were led down a set of stairs, into an underground vast room. There was a long table, laden with food and drinks. The Grounders stood on my side, my friends on the other. I stood next to my father, and my heart jostled when Bellamy took his place on my other side. I offered him a small smile, and he returned it, but that was about the extent of pleasantries I could afford. 

My father took out a bottle of moonshine, wrapped in cloth, from his jacket.

"Please accept this gift, commander," he offered respectfully. "We drink this at special occasions. I believe this qualifies."

Gustus took it first, then handed it to Lexa. She studied the bottle, and I could see curiosity shining in her eyes.

"Thank you, Marcus of the sky people."

"You’re welcome, Lexa," my father answered, before saying in Trigedasleng: "Kom Trikru. Just don’t drink too much of it."

Lexa nodded, and turned to Clarke. "Let us drink together."

"It would be my pleasure."

A man brought two metal cups, which Gustus set on the table. Lexa poured some moonshine into both of them, and handed one of the cups to Clarke. She gave the other to Gustus. For a second, I was confused, until I realized he would drink first to make sure it wasn’t poisoned. I knew it wasn’t, but my heart still raced in my chest as he took a sip. 

Satisfied, he then gave it back to Lexa.

"Tonight, we celebrate our newfound peace," she said. "Tomorrow, we plan our war. To those we’ve lost and to those we shall soon find."

Lexa and Clarke lifted the cups to their lips. But before either of them could take a sip, Gustus groaned and fell forward, pain twisting his features into a scowl. He coughed, and stumbled backwards.

"It’s poison!" A Grounder shouted.

Perhaps thinking irrationally, I knocked the cup out of Clarke's hands. I knew the moonshine wasn't poisoned, but I couldn't take the risk. I wouldn't lose her.

"It was the sky people!" Indra roared, unsheathing her sword.

"This wasn’t us!" Clarke yelled as the Grounders surrounded our group. "You have to know this wasn’t us!"

Lexa shouted something in Trigedasleng, and we were shoved around as the Grounders started searching our pockets, our bags, everything for a trace of the poison.

"Gustus warned me about you," Lexa seethed, "but I didn’t listen. Tell me something, Clarke. When you plunged the knife into the heart of the boy you loved, did you not wish that it was mine?"

Clarke, damned her honesty, stayed silent, horror in her eyes as Grounders began patting all of us down, searching for who carried the poison. I shoved back the man that grabbed at me, reeling on him with fire in my eyes. No one was going to touch me. But the hatred burning in his eyes sent a shock of terror down my spine.

"Commander!" He called, and she turned to him. From the pocket of my coat he pulled a vial and sniffed it suspiciously. I almost screamed. It was a set up. 

"That’s not mine!" I protested. "I’m telling you, that’s not mine! He put it there when he searched me!"

Lexa stared at the vial for a tense few seconds. And when she lifted her head, there was a new resolve in her eyes. "No sky person leaves this room!" 

The Grounders followed her up the stairs, one by one. Indra, the general, was the last. Lincoln tried to talk to her, but she spat something in his face and closed the bars behind her. I resisted the urge to scream. How had I not realized that the room the banquet was supposed to be held in…could also double up as a cell?

* * *

We stayed locked up in that room for what seemed like hours. Bellamy was restless. He kept circling the room, shaking the bars and trying to open the few windows, prowling like a lion in cage. The rest of us weren’t doing any better. Clarke, especially. She’d fought with Raven, got a fist to the face from the mechanic. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, she’d argued with her mother.

I wanted to help her, but I didn’t know how. The best I could do was sit beside her in silence, one of my hand laced with hers. I needed it as much as her. If they decided I was guilty, then I was going to die. There was no way around it.

My father approached us, his eyes kind and soft.

"Tearing each other and yourself apart isn’t a way to get through this," he said to Clarke, but he shot me a heavy look as well. I knew he was worried about me, but he had to remain strong. As did I. If I had to die for my people, I would. But God, I was terrified. 

"Lexa needs this alliance just as much as we do," he continued. "She’s shown herself to be flexible. She listens to you."

"She thinks we tried to kill her," Clarke answered, letting go of my hand. I tried to ignore the dejection that struck me. But maybe it was better if I wasn't very sentimental right now. For me and for them. 

"But we know we didn’t. So let’s figure out who did. Who would want her dead?"

Lincoln scoffed. "Too many to count. Forming an alliance with you was a risk, especially after what Finn did to this village."

"So it had to be someone trying to break the alliance," Octavia added.

Before we could discuss it more, the door behind us creaked open. I shot to my feet, and joined my friends as we huddled together. Away from Nyko, Indra and the Grounders who’d just come inside.

"How’s Gustus?" Lincoln asked.

"He will live," Nyko answered, his voice gruff and dark, his eyes boring into me. I stepped backwards in fear, and found myself against Bellamy. 

"I won't let them hurt you," he whispered in my ear.

Tears stung my eyes. "If they don't take me, they'll take someone else. God forbid it was Raven, our smartest asset. I'm the most expendable one here, Bellamy." 

"No!" He argued. "You're a fighter, the best we've got." 

"So let me fight," I pleaded, my voice breaking. "Let me fight one more fight, to protect you. All of you." 

Before either of us could say anything more, Indra ordered something in Trigedasleng and the other Grounders shot forwards, heading straight for me. Instinctively, I struggled against their grip, and Bellamy fought to reach me, but they kept him at bay with spears. The pain in his eyes was enough to break me. Every one of my friends argued for my innocence, but Indra wasn't having it. 

"I argued for all of you to die," Indra spat, "but the Commander is merciful. She wants only one."

"She’s innocent," Lincoln protested.

"I don’t care," Indra roared. She then turned her attention to the other Grounders, and said: "They move, they bleed." 

The men holding tight to my arms roughly dragged me towards the stairs. My father yelled at them to let me go, and I met Raven's teary gaze, filled with horror. At least I had some comfort knowing that she didn't want me to die, even if it was inevitable. I hadn't lost her as a friend. 

Tears streamed down my face as I futilely struggled. I hadn't told Bellamy I loved him, and now I never would get the chance. I swore if I ever got out of this I would tell him. Because Lord knows there was never going to be a perfect moment down here and I'd wasted enough time pining. I had to do something about my feelings. Although, considering I was about to die, perhaps these thoughts were pointless. 

"I’ll kill you!" Bellamy screamed behind me. "I’ll kill you all!"

"Try," Indra seethed. "The rest of you are free. When she’s dead, so is the alliance. You should run."

Rope burned my wrists as the grounders strung me up to the pole. Though blurred vision, I stared out at all the infuriated Grounders, at my own people who stared at me with bereavement. I wanted to stay strong, to face my death with steel in my eyes, but I was about to die. Slowly, and in anguish. So I thought it was reasonable to cry. 

But it was for my people. To protect them. To protect Bellamy. And that meant that, however bad the pain got, I could take it. I had to. For him. 

"I take no joy in this, Y/n," Lexa said, her tone commanding, and yet soft. She truly was a good leader. Just like Clarke. "But this time, justice will be done."

I kept quiet. The villagers were staring at me, hatred in their eyes. Some were holding their blades a little too tightly for my taste.

Lexa rolled up the sleeve of my shirt and rested the blade on my arm. It was cold, like ice. Despite the fact that they'd only taken off my jacket, I felt dangerously vulnerable. Lexa took a steadying breath, and cut my arm.

I won’t scream, I won’t scream, I won’t scream…

The pain was there, but it was still bearable. I looked her straight in the eyes while she cut me, refusing to give her, or anyone here, the satisfaction of my screams. But the tears trailing down my face gave me away, and my body still shook. I knew this was just the first wound of many. The crowd was already forming a line.

Bellamy was yelling, somewhere to my right, and my father seemed to be talking urgently to someone. I had hoped that they would stay in the room below, that they wouldn’t have to witness it. I needed them to focus on finding out who had really poisoned Gustus.

Lexa stepped back, and Indra practically ran to take her place.

"Do your worst," I smiled harshly.

She snarled, and sliced with her dagger across my rib-cage. This time, I could not hold back a gasp of pain. But still, I did not scream. Indra seemed disappointed, and remained for a few seconds, as if she wanted to cut me a second time. She probably did. There was murder in her eyes, though I supposed that wasn't so different from everyone else. Eventually, she stepped away.

Gustus was next. And I shivered at the satisfaction on his face as he drew his blade across my shoulder, above my gunshot wound. More tears came, and hot, agonizing pain overcame me. An involuntary hiss of pain escaped my lips, which he seemed to take pride in. 

Again and again, they came. Men and women, old and young, all bearing arms. Crimson stained my shirt, soaked it through. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. I feared I would perish of blood loss before the last man got to take a blade to me. I tried to push past the searing pain and hold on to the hope that my friends would stop this torture. 

_We will, we will, we will._

I would see all my friends again. I would get through this. Everything would turn out okay. I had to have hope. Without hope, I was naught but dead and tortured by fear. And I was not about to let fear rule my mind. But shit, the pain was unbearable. Worse than anything I'd ever felt. I was nearly out of tears now, but my screams made up for it. I couldn't take it any more. It was only the fifth person to have a go at me, but my steel wall had caved in and the pain had taken hook in my nerves. I just wanted it to be over. 

I hoped that, wherever my mother was, she was watching me proudly. I felt closer to her than I had in years. She always had made sacrifices for her family, the people she loved, and now I had the honor of following in her footsteps, though our ends were vastly different. I focused on my memories of her, as the next villager stepped forward, hoping her spirit would guide me to the afterlife. 

"Stop!" Clarke's frantic voice echoed across the village and I almost screamed just in relief. She'd done it. She'd figured something out. Or if not, at least I got a rest from my suffering. 

The crowd shifted restlessly on their feet, but Lexa ordered them to let Clarke pass. I watched as she came forward, followed by Bellamy, who stared at me with an ocean of pain in his dark eyes. I tried to smile at him, but I couldn't. Why try to be reassuring, when it would have been a lie? I was going to die. 

"One of your own people tried to kill you, Lexa, not one of mine."

"Y/n had the poison on her," Lexa countered. 

Bellamy snapped, "It was planted, and you know it." 

"I can prove it," Clarke said firmly.

Nyko approached Clarke and handed her the bottle of poisoned moonshine. I mumbled a protest as she opened it and drank generously. We all waited in tense silence, waiting for her to double over as the poison took effect. But nothing. Clarke stood, healthy as can be.

"Explain," Lexa demanded.

"The poison wasn’t in the bottle," Clarke said. "It was in the cup."

Gustus leaned forward, saying something to Lexa in Trigedasleng. I saw Bellamy frown, and glare suspiciously at Gustus. 

"It was you," he growled, his hands clenched. "You tested the cup, you searched Y/n." 

"Gustus would never harm me," Lexa snapped.

"You weren’t the target," Bellamy said. "The alliance was."

"We didn’t do this, and you know it," Clarke added.

Lexa turned to Gustus, and asked him what I was sure were explanations. He sighed, and looked at her with a deep, old sadness.

"This alliance would cost you your life, Heda. I could not let that happen."

"This treachery will cost you yours," Lexa said, obviously shaken.

She gave an order to the crowd, and Gustus was seized by two Grounders. A third one cut the leather straps holding me to the post. Bellamy, Abby, and my father were running for me, but it was Raven who reached me first. She held me tight against her, and I winced as every cut on my body flared with pain. But I didn’t push her away. It might have been the blood loss, but I felt a strange urge to laugh. We'd been fighting horribly the day before, and now she was helping me.

Every step I took was agony, and vomit crept up my throat. Dizziness took hold, and the world spun. I stumbled into Raven, and then someone else caught me. I looked up to see Bellamy with his arm around my waist, supporting me. My father took over for Raven on my other side. Both looked angry. But while my father’s anger seemed directed toward Gustus, Bellamy’s was meant for me.

"You’re a goddamn idiot," he murmured in my ear. 

"Nah," my father said with a familiar, gentle smile, the smile he always wore in my childhood. "She’s just her mother’s daughter. And, God help me, but I am proud of you, kid." 

Bellamy threw an annoyed look at my dad, but I was grinning. They sat me down on a log, and immediately, I retched. An ever steady hand on my back, Bellamy was there as I emptied the contents of my stomach and started shivering violently. Abby came to my side, fussing over all of my cuts, none of which needed stitches. Thankfully, they'd all been shallow. Painful, but shallow. It was how much they bled that was the primary concern. 

"She's so pale," Bellamy remarked, his voice shaking. "And her lips are blue." 

Instinctively, I touched my lips. Not that I could feel color. 

Abby gently touched my forehead. "You're very cold." 

I nodded, and my vision swam. Not a good sign. 

"Someone get a blanket!" Abby called. "I think she's going into hypovolemic shock." 

"But she'll be okay, right?" Bellamy prodded, his voice growing increasingly panicked. I reached over and grabbed his hand, for as much his sake as my own. His touch was warm. Like a heater. Despite the sweat plastering my hair to my forehead, dripping down to my collar, my fingers were cold. Maybe I was worse off that I thought. 

"I'll be okay," I murmured. Though the pain and weakness in my body argued otherwise. Abby told me to lay down so that I wouldn't go unconscious. 

After Abby treated my wounds and gave me some water, she left. Bellamy wrapped a blanket around my shoulders, and pulled me against him. I relished in his gentle touch, his comforting warmth. Swallowing back some more bile, I interlocked my fingers with his. Consciously, I wasn't really aware I was doing it. The touch was so intimate, so tender, I felt like that in itself was a profession of my love. But I needed to say it out loud. I promised myself I would. 

"Bellamy," I croaked out. 

"Shh, don't talk. Just rest," he whispered, stroking my hair with his free hand. "I need you to get better. I can't lose you." 

I closed my eyes and smiled. "You'll never lose me, Bel." 

"We're supposed to watch Gustus' execution," Clarke said when she approached us. Pain and relief filled her eyes. I nodded. We had to witness it, or they might find it offensive. I did not want to be strung up again, nor see any of my people go through that. With her and Bellamy's help, I got to my feet and slowly we joined the others in a circle around the same post I'd been tied to. 

I let go of both of them and weakly stood on my own as I watched Gustus take on the same pain I had. It was hard to watch, and yet I couldn't look away. 

"This would have been Finn," Raven said from behind me, her voice sorrowful and soft. I turned to her and, ignoring the searing pain in my arm, lifted it to comfort her. For a moment, she stared at me with teary eyes, and then she apologized, "I shouldn’t have said those things to you. None of this was ever your fault. I was just lashing out and you were the easiest target." 

"I know," I whispered. "I've said some things I regret too." 

She squeezed my hand tightly. "I missed having you by my side, Y/n. And now that F-Finn’s gone, I can’t bear to lose anyone else."

My heart breaking a little, I pulled her against me and leaned my forehead against hers. "You never lost me, Reyes. Got that? And you never will." 

She smiled, and we hugged. A stray tear rolled down my cheek, but it wasn't from pain or sorrow or fear. It was of relief. Forgiveness. 

* * *

Night had fallen on the village of Tondc. Raven was working on the radio, and Clarke stood to the side, talking quietly with Lexa. The rest of our group was resting around a fire. I found an astounding amount of relief from the heat of it. Now that I wasn't in shock anymore, I could almost feel my strength gaining. Soon, I'd be able to fight again. 

I couldn’t relax. I wished we’d packed our bags, and camped on the road. Not in this place, where I could still smell burnt flesh, and rivers of blood. But it would have been disrespectful to refuse the hospitality, however reluctant, of the people of Tondc.

"How did you know it was Gustus?" Lincoln asked Bellamy, drawing my attention away from the hypnotic flames. 

"He’d do anything for her," Bellamy replied, looking over at me. My heart fluttered and I smiled. "To protect her. Just makes sense." 

"Look at the thanks he got," Octavia grunted.

I sighed. Somehow, I couldn’t bring myself to hate Gustus. Despite the wrongness of his actions, all he’d wanted was to keep Lexa safe. I rolled my shoulder, testing to see how much the lacerations still hurt. Not terrible. I could defend myself if I needed to. 

Raven interrupted our conversation to show us the radio. 

"What is it?" Bellamy asked. 

"Listen to this."

I gasped. Jasper’s voice crackled through the radio, clear as day.

_This is Jasper Jordan. We need help. Forty-six of us are trapped inside Mount Weather._

"Talk to him, say something!" Clarke gasped.

"It’s repeating, on a loop, but," Raven shook her head, and sighed. "But, they’re alive!"

Raven took my hand, squeezing it tightly. But our relief was short-lived.

"We need to do this now," Bellamy said gruffly. "You’ve got the alliance, now is the time to use it."

"First, we need an inside man," Clarke answered, looking at Bellamy. "You were right. Without someone on the inside to lower their defenses, turn off the acid fog, an army is useless. You should go."

My heart stopped, and my blood turned to ice in my veins, as suddenly as if I’d flipped a switch.

"What?" I said, but I was ignored. Surprise, surprise. 

"I thought you hated that plan," Bellamy told Clarke. "That I would get myself killed."

"I was being weak," Clarke answered, her face blank of any emotion. "It’s worth the risk."

 _Like hell it is_ , I thought.

She handed him her map of Mount Weather, and told him to find a way to get on the radio, and communicate with us. She then wished him luck, and turned on her feet, going back to Lexa. Just like that. As if she wasn’t sending Bellamy to his death. I was furious, incapable of speech as Lincoln offered to lead Bellamy through the tunnels.

"Let me show you what to look for," Raven said.

"No," I snapped.

Bellamy turned to me, and I immediately ripped the map off his hands. I wanted to tear it to shreds, but I managed to control myself.

"Y/n-" Bellamy began.

"I said no," I challenged, fire flashing in my eyes, rising to my full height, all sense of pain fleeing from my body. "It's a suicide mission." 

"I have to do this," Bellamy said softly. His hand was hovering near my arm, as if unsure whether or not he could touch me.

Everyone was staring at me. I knew he was right. We couldn't win this war without getting someone inside the mountain. Well, I'd be damned if I let him go alone. "Fine. But I'm going with you." 

"It's too dangerous," he argued. 

Clarke nodded. "And harder to get two people in instead of one." 

"I'm the stealthiest person here," I countered, trying desperately to make my case. "Either you send both of us, or just me. Because I'm not going to sit around here useless." 

Everyone exchanged glances, all clearly worried, but not unconvinced. Finally, Clarke agreed. "Go. Watch out for each other. We're relying on you." 

Bellamy seemed to want to protest, but he knew if Clarke was on my side the argument would be futile. So he nodded, and took my hand. "Even after being wounded, you'll go?" 

"I'll heal. It's not so bad." 

He shook his head. "You're insane." 

I smiled. "I know." 

A beat of silence. Then he hugged me. "Are you ready?" 

"As I'll ever be," I said, taking a deep breath. Guess I'd have to wait a little while more to act on my feelings. "Tomorrow, we're going to save our people." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No. I'm an asshole. I'm milking this for all I've got.


	10. Survival of the Fittest

Dressed in the heavy furs and leather of the Grounders made the journey through the woods more tiring. Not to mention the still rather raw pain from my cuts hindered me. But I grit my teeth and pushed through. Bellamy and Lincoln already didn't want me to be a part of this, so I had to prove I was strong enough, skilled enough to finish this mission. 

We stumbled down a hill and crouched beside a dead deer that lie in the foliage. Lincoln took a dagger from the folds of his clothes and used it to cut open the stomach of the animal. I scrunched my nose as he stuck his hands inside the carcass and smeared the crimson blood over his face and neck. 

"Okay," Bellamy said. "So we make it to the intake door without any of the real Reapers seeing us. What happens then?" 

"I kill everyone and you two slip inside," Lincoln replied, his eyes dark.

I grew tense, but didn't say anything. Death was the only way through this. And perhaps the Reapers deserved it. Not that I was one to decide who deserved life. Bellamy clearly didn't think it was the best idea, but he didn't say anything either. 

"Limestone," Lincoln said, breaking the silence. Bellamy reached into his pocket and handed him a small pouch filled with the paste of said stone. Lincoln dug his fingers inside, and they came out completely white. He traced three of his fingers over his eye, from his forehead to the base of his neck. When he was done, he got to his feet. "Let's go. We've got a lot of ground to cover before dark." 

Seeing Lincoln so close to being a Reaper again made me nervous. I knew he was in his right mind, but the memories of the garage, of him almost killing me, flashed in my mind. Bellamy put a hand on my shoulder, as if he was reading my mind. Or perhaps I was much worse at hiding my emotions than I thought. I took a deep breath, smiled at him, and followed after Lincoln. 

"So," I said, walking a bit faster than preferable to keep up with him. "What happens after the intake door?" 

"They remove your clothes. Blast you with boiling water, and then douse you with something that burns even worse. And then they sort you," Lincoln explained, always keeping his gaze trained on the path ahead of us. "The others were tagged harvest. I was tagged Cereberus and turned into a Reaper." 

"Cerberus," Bellamy remarked. "Three headed dog that guards the underworld." 

"Lovely," I muttered, and Lincoln threw us a confused glance. 

Bellamy shrugged. "My mom read mythology to us all the time. Octavia loved it." 

"Same way I always loved when my mom read the history books. Ancient Rome, Cleopatra and all that." I smiled at the memories, and felt a little lighter going through with this infernal mission. 

Bellamy chuckled. "Nerd." 

I shot him a teasing glare. "When I said I'll throw you in a river, that hasn't changed. I still will." 

He rolled his eyes, and instead turned his attention back to Lincoln. "You're good for her, you know. Octavia. You made her strong." 

"She was already strong." 

Bellamy paused, and fell behind us. I turned to look at him, inquisitive. "Hey I need to ask you something. You protected my sister before you even knew her. Why?"

Lincoln leaned on his spear, and glanced between the two of us. "When I was a boy, I saw a ship fall from the sky. Like ravens. The man inside was hurt, his body broken. I couldn't get him out." 

"Suicide by earth," I murmured. I'd seen it happen much to often for my taste. People plummeted down to the ground to be consumed by radiation to escape their suffering. 

"I brought him food, water. I didn't speak the enemy language yet, so I couldn't understand him. But I wanted to," Lincoln continued. "So on the third day I told my father. He made me kill him. The world's been trying to turn me into a monster for as long as I can remember. I protected Octavia for the same reason you always protected Y/n. You felt a kinship. And wanted to prove to yourself you weren't the bad person everyone made you out to be." 

Silence fell. Heat rose in my cheeks. I looked over at Bellamy, and tilted my head. Was that true? I always disagreed with him at first, sure, but I never thought he was a terrible person. He stared longingly at me for awhile, before Lincoln told us to keep moving. He took off in a direction opposite from where I thought we were meant to go. 

"Wait," Bellamy said. "The parking garage where we found you is north. That way." 

"There's a mine entrance closer to where the Reapers hand us over. We go into the underworld when we have to. Not before." 

Made sense. Unnerving. But made sense. 

After walking for a while, I began to recognize some of the surroundings. Nervous energy erupted in my veins as I realized I was heading straight back into the belly of the beast. Mount Weather was horrible, and I was apprehensive about returning, but I had to do something to help my people. And again, I was never going to leave Bellamy alone. I stood beside him, looking up from the map to the mist covered mountain towering over us. It was time for the stressful part. 

"The mountain has many eyes between here and the tunnels," Lincoln said, as we turned back to him. "From now on, details must be exact." 

"What if we run into real Reapers?" I asked. I'd already had enough interactions with them for a lifetime. 

"Wouldn't they wonder where you've been?" Bellamy added. 

Lincoln shook his head, and continued stripping the log with his ax. "All they see is the Red. Once you're taken, nothing else matters. Just how you'll get more." 

"How much do you remember from when you were on it?" Bellamy ventured. 

Haunted memories filled Lincoln's eyes. "Everything. Turn around." 

My heart hammered in my chest as both Bellamy and I turned around. No going back now. Lincoln lifted a stick and pushed it against my neck. I placed my wrists on the ends and Lincoln tied them down. Thankfully it wasn't so tight that it burned my skin, but it was rather uncomfortable. I supposed that wasn't of importance. After he tied down Bellamy in the same way, he attached rope around our necks to act as leads. I exchanged a glance with Bellamy, and he nodded in reassurance. This would all go fine. I had to believe that. 

But as we neared the entrance to the tunnels, my confidence diminished. Hell's mouth was waiting for us and we were marching straight into it. Even Lincoln seemed hesitant to enter, but he did, Bellamy and I stumbling behind him. 

Halfway to our destination, Lincoln halted, his gaze focused on the tracks. 

"Why are we stopping?" Bellamy asked. 

I followed Lincoln's gaze down to the ground where a clear vial lay, a bit of red liquid still leftover. He stepped on the vial, the glass shattering beneath his foot. I swallowed nervously. If there was some of that red drug here, then I had reason to believe Reapers were nearby. My stomach twisted, and energy buzzed in my blood. We needed to move faster. 

"You okay?" Bellamy asked. 

"As soon as they open the intake doors, we attack. Do not let it close," Lincoln ordered. "Once they're all dead, you go in. I'll make it look like you escaped. Once you're inside-"

"We know," I interjected. Enough talking. More doing. Both of them nodded at me, and grim resignation fell over me. 

Shouts echoed from down the tunnel, accompanied by the flickering orange lights of torches. I wanted to throw up. Reapers. 

"Another raider party," Lincoln said, his voice laced with panic. He frantically started undoing Bellamy's bindings. 

"What are you doing?" I hissed, glancing over my shoulder at the approaching torchlight. 

"We have to go back." 

Bellamy scoffed. "Go back? No way!" 

"It's just three, maybe four. We can fight our way through," Lincoln said, the panic clear as day now. I understood where he was coming from. Being in these tunnels again was nerve-wracking. But we had to do this.

"We'll never get a better chance!" I argued. 

Lincoln glanced back over at me. "I thought I could do this, but I can't, okay? It's over."

"No, it's not," Bellamy replied, staring Lincoln down, his eyes wide and filled with determination. "We can join them." 

Lincoln shook his head, clearly still terrified. 

"Listen to me. When they bring out the Red, you grab it, and you run like hell," Bellamy suggested. "The Reapers will go nuts, the Grounders will run, and the Mountain Men will deal with it. No one will be looking for a Grounder running into the mountain."

"It'll work," I promised, backing up Bellamy and hoping to instill reassurance in Lincoln. I knew how hard this was for him. 

But he didn't seem convinced. Lincoln roared a no, and pulled Bellamy off of the branch. I myself was still trapped on mine,  and had to watch as Bellamy rammed Lincoln against the wall of the cavern. I struggled to get out of my bonds, but escaped as the Reapers grew closer. I couldn't quite hear what he was saying over the clamor of the Reapers behind me and the grunts of the fight between my friends. In the end, Lincoln pushed Bellamy back, brought him down to his knees, and held a dagger at his throat just as a Reaper approached. 

Bellamy mouthed at me to run, but even if I had wanted to, a Reaper had already clamped a hand on my shoulder and kicked me to my knees. I grunted in pain, when my knees hit the stone, but otherwise remained silent. 

Lincoln muttered something in Trigedasleng to which one of the Reapers responded. At the same time that Lincoln pulled Bellamy to his feet, the Reaper pinning me down yanked me upwards by my hair. An involuntary scream escaped my lips and Bellamy struggled against Lincoln, darkness in his eyes, but stopped almost immediately. Escape wasn't an option. We had to go through with this. Everything was fine. I was fine. This would all be fine. I wish I could have had my ring with me to help me believe that a little more. But I didn't want to risk losing it to the Mountain Men again, so I'd left it in Clarke's care. 

The Reaper positioned me behind Bellamy and wrapped a dirty piece of cloth over my eyes, blinding me. Without being able to see my surroundings, or my friend, my anxiety shot through the roof. But I kept my breathing steady and held in my tears as the Reaper roughly wrapped my arms around the log and tied my wrists together. 

Marching through the tunnels completely blinded was horrible. I knew Bellamy was in front of me, but without being able to see him or touch him, I felt so terribly cold and alone. Fear's frigid spindly fingers reached through me, gripping tight to my heart, caging it in. No amount of deep breathing could force it away. Especially not when we finally came to a halt. 

Reapers pulled me off the log and stripped my clothes off down to my undergarments. I wanted to resist, hated the idea of someone seeing me practically naked, but there was no point. Still, they left the blindfold on and forced me to my knees. Even though I was blindfolded, I closed my eyes. 

 _Compose yourself,_ I advised myself. If I wasn't calm, this whole mission would be shot.

When the Reapers finally ripped my blindfold off, I looked to my left and found Bellamy kneeling next to me. Trying to ignore the fact that he was shirtless, I shifted my hand and hooked my pinky with his. Hardly noticeable to anyone watching, but gave me all the strength I needed to continue. 

The heavy metal door to my right opened and Mountain Men poured out, blaring a high pitched frequency that scared off the Reapers. I glanced over at Lincoln to see him pretend to do the same. And then I watched in horror as the Mountain Men gave the Reapers their doses of the Red they craved so much, including Lincoln. I shook my head, trying to tell him to run, to not let this happen, but he just stared forward with brave, empty eyes as the man stuck a needle in his neck. 

I turned away, and released Bellamy's finger. After everything he'd done to escape the clutches of the drug, he'd just ended right back up here. 

A woman walked down the line of Grounders, listing off whether they were to be harvested or turned into a Reaper. When she got to Bellamy, she said harvest. I was next. My heart pounded so hard against my rib-cage I almost didn't hear what she said. 

"Harvest." 

I closed my eyes, and felt Bellamy link his finger with mine. He knew I was terrified. Harvest. It was better than Cerberus. But fuck, I was scared. 

I opened my eyes, and turned to Bellamy. This is why I'd come. So that he wouldn't go through this alone. We'd both been marked for harvest. But we'd go through it together. And we would make it out of this goddamn mountain alive.


	11. Coup de Grâce

Decontamination was the worst thing I'd ever experienced. I thought being sliced by the Grounders was horrible, but this was infinitely worse. Of course, the cuts exacerbated the pain. I was beginning to regret coming on this mission. 

First, they doused us with boiling water. It seared by skin, reddened it, and I bit back a scream so hard my tongue bled. I relished in the brief moment of relief after they finished and stared over at Bellamy. His skin was red and had to be in just as much pain as me, but he hardly showed it. It seemed his only concern was for me. I tried to smile, but didn't get the chance as white decontamination powder blasted us from every angle. I coughed and blinked, trying to get it out of my eyes. It stung. Jesus Christ, it stung in my eyes, in my every cut. I pulled against the cuffs chaining my hands and ankles, just trying desperately to relieve the pain, but I couldn't move. 

Still, it didn't get better. The Mountain Men scrubbed me down from afar, rubbing my skin raw. After they'd satisfied themselves with that, they stuck a needle in my arm and another in my shoulder and shoved a pill down my throat. At least I thought it was a pill. Everything was happening so fast, and the pain was so blinding I could barely comprehend what was happening to me. 

I wasn't sure when I'd passed out, nor why. Maybe it was pain, maybe they'd put me under. But either way, I awoke, head pounding, body aching in a small metal cage. Groaning, I pulled myself to the most comfortable sitting position I could, which still wasn't that great. Beneath me, another Grounder was sleeping in their own cage. Across the aisle, a series of cages stacked on top of each other lined the room. I turned to my right to find Bellamy unconscious. 

"Bel," I whispered, poking him. "Bel, wake up." 

Slowly, he roused. He took a moment to look around and soak in the horror of the place we were trapped in. "Are you okay?" 

I nodded. I was alive, that was all that mattered. 

"Then we have to get out of here," he growled. Bellamy started pounding on the cage, pulling at the door, trying to break it open. 

"Stop, Bel," I whispered. "It's no use." 

Unsurprisingly, he didn't give up. I did try a little, but the cage only rattled and shook. I doubted either of us would get these open. 

A woman on the other side of Bellamy muttered something to him in Trigedasleng. 

Bellamy stopped trying to get out and turned to her. "I can't...I don't understand you." 

"Sky person?" She snarled. 

Bellamy nodded, to which she responded by spitting on him. Instinctively, I kicked the side of my cage and glared at her with a dark, fiery gaze. "Leave him alone." 

"Oh and another," she growled, returning my glare. "It's an infestation on the planet. 

"I take it no one has told you we're not enemies anymore," Bellamy said, wiping her spit from his face. She sat back in her cage, going silent. "I need to get out of this cage." 

"And then what?" The Grounder girl scoffed. 

"And then I'll kill everyone in this mountain." 

I furrowed my eyebrows. That wasn't our mission. We were just going to get our people out. Children lived here. Children who had nothing to do with this. Bellamy must have sensed my distaste because he put his fingers on the cage wall between us, his eyes apologetic. Maybe we would have to kill everyone here. If it came down to it, I would come to terms with that. But for now, just saving our people was important. 

I linked my fingers through the cage, and pressed my forehead against it. Bellamy did the same, and I smiled at our touch. If we didn't get out of these cages we were going to be strung up. So it was now or never. God, I promised myself. So I just had to say it.

"Bellamy, there's something I have to tell you," I murmured, gazing into his eyes. "Something I've been meaning to tell you for...for ages. And this isn't the most opportune moment, but I'm scared we're going to die and I'll never get to tell you." 

"I love you," he whispered, his voice soft and tender, his hazel eyes brimmed with emotion. "I love you, Y/n. I'm in love with you." 

My heart stopped. All that time I spent agonizing over whether or not he felt the same way and he did. This whole time we'd just been pining after each other. Perhaps this was the worst possible time and place to profess our love, but I was so elated I didn't care about all the other Grounders staring at us with disgust and hate. I smiled wider than I'd ever thought possible and almost choked on my own breath. I'd been waiting to hear him say those words for so long he'd stolen my breath away. Hearing those words brought warmth to my fingers, my toes, my head, every part of me, and suddenly none of my pain or worries mattered anymore because Bellamy loved me. 

I blinked away a few euphoric tears. "Not fair, I was going to say that first. I love you. I don't know exactly for how long, but it's been eating me alive not telling you. I'm absolutely crazy for you. I love you." 

Bellamy smiled, and I so desperately wanted to hold him, kiss him, ignite a fire of pleasure between us. But just having his love was enough. Just seeing the deepness of his endearment in his eyes was enough. 

"I'm getting us out of here," he whispered, touching the tips of his fingers to mine. I closed my eyes, relishing in the tingling warmth he left, but snapped them open when he started kicking at the door of his cage. 

I turned my attention to the door, nervously looking at the bodies of two Grounders hung upside down. It made me sick the first time I saw it and it made me sick now. Especially since now there was the danger of Bellamy being one of them. I couldn't bear to see that happen. 

Then, to my horror, the door opened. The Grounder beside Bellamy hissed at him to be quiet, and I did the same. Reluctantly, he retreated to the back of his cage. 

A guard followed by what I assumed must have been a medical professional of some sort headed straight for the cages, searching for their next victim. They stopped right in front of Bellamy's cage and my soul practically left my body. Exactly what I'd feared would happen was about to. 

"Yep, this one'll do," said the guard as he started unlocking Bellamy's cage. We glanced at each other, and in his eyes I saw fear hidden behind an admirable strength. In that second, I made a decision I knew would not end well for me, but I wouldn't regret it. Bellamy seemed to know what was going through my head because he gave me a firm, barely unnoticeable shake of the head. 

I gripped the roof of the cage and let anger overcome me. With as much strength as I could muster, I kicked the door of my cage, glaring at the guards with an inhuman rage. The guard paused at the lock on Bellamy's cage and snorted. 

"We got us a live one," he said with a voice that turned my blood to ice. I kicked the door again, just to make sure they would take me and not Bellamy. I wondered if they recognized me. Even if they did, they probably didn't care. 

The man dressed in white behind the guard stuck a pole through the holes in my cage and volts of electricity shot through my system. I gasped, and slumped back in my cage. I looked over at Bellamy and my heart broke at the terror in his eyes. He knew what was about to happen to me. And I hated that he'd have to see me go through this. But at least he'd be alive. And that was all that mattered to me. 

As they opened the door to my cage, I launched myself forward, meaning to fight my way out. But they were ready for me and shocked me again. I groaned and fell backwards again, trying to ignore the electricity painfully coursing through me. Against my will, a tear slipped down my face. The medical assistant stuck a needle in my arm and injected something into me. It became clear within seconds that it was a sedative. 

My vision went out of focus, and everything in my body shut down, luring me into unconsciousness. The last thing I heard before I went under was Bellamy calling my name. 

* * *

My eyes shot open and I gasped as a burst of adrenaline shot through my veins. It took me a moment to adjust to my surroundings, especially since everything was upside down. My head hurt worse than it ever had before and I guessed that was because I'd been hanging upside down for so long. Wires and electrodes were stuck all over my body. Through a few of clear tubes, I saw my blood circulating. Stomach churning, I tried to shift to get upside right, but nothing worked. 

In the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a person standing near me. When they crouched down to my level, I recognized who she was immediately. 

"Maya?" I breathed. "Good to see you." 

Maya offered me a small smile. "It would be under better circumstances." 

"How about getting me down then, would ya?" 

She nodded and started pulling electrodes off of me. The steady beeping of the machine monitoring my heart flat-lined as I was disconnected. Before Maya could get me down, the door opened and the same guard that pulled me out of the cage entered the harvesting room. Immediately, I closed my eyes and went still, pretending to be dead.

"Lovejoy, hey," Maya said, her voice clearly nervous. God I hoped she didn't get in trouble for being in here. I didn't trust her when I left, but it seemed she was on our side now. 

"What are you doing in here?" Lovejoy accused. "You're not cleared for this facility." 

Maya shifted awkwardly on her feet. "I know. I'm sorry." 

I cracked my eyes open a bit, searching the room for Bellamy. There he was, staring at me through his cage, relief emanating from him so intensely I could feel it from over here. I wonder if he thought I was dead. 

"I just wanted to see what was so special about her but," Maya continued, "she's dead."

I closed my eyes again as Lovejoy stepped towards us. Keeping as calm as possible, I tried to just stay inside my own mind, and not worry about the guard or Maya. Worrying led to me freaking out and then they would know I was alive. 

"So she is." Lovejoy stepped past Maya and I heard the press of a button before I felt my body slowly begin to lower. First my head hit the floor, then my shoulders, until I was laying completely flat on the stone floor. I kept my eyes closed as the guard undid the restraints around my ankles. "You're a brave girl coming in here alone-"

He cut off as I kneed him in the jaw. Lovejoy fell over backwards and I quickly undid the other restraint on my right leg. Just as I got out of it, Lovejoy got to his feet, aiming a gun at me. 

"Don't move! Don't move!" He ordered. Adrenaline pounded in sync with my heart as I scrambled backwards. "On your feet! On your feet!" 

Eyes wide, I stared at Maya, hoping she'd help. Thankfully, she stabbed him with a pair of medical scissors in the neck, giving me the chance to go for his gun. But before I could reach it, Lovejoy struck me across the arm with the scissors and drew blood. Clutching at my wound, I couldn't react fast enough to block the punch he aimed at my gut. He rammed me against the side of the cage of the Grounder who'd been talking to Bellamy. 

"Stop!" Maya shouted, her voice shaking. 

I glanced over to see her aiming the gun at Lovejoy. "No, don't! They'll hear!" 

I spun around and locked onto Lovejoy's wrist, then kneed him in the stomach. When he doubled over, I did the same to his face, but he was hardly fazed. Lovejoy punched me in the face, and blood exploded in my mouth, smothering my tongue, staining my lips. I stumbled backwards, and he grabbed hold of my arm, gripping so tight, it was like steel. He raised his hand to stab me with the scissors, but the Grounder girl grabbed onto his wrist through the cage.

I broke free of Lovejoy's grip and immediately wrapped my hands around his throat. The guard tried to fight back, and managed for a moment, but I didn't relent. Burning with a malicious hate and fear, I choked the man, staring him down, until he slumped and I saw the light leave his eyes. Behind me, Maya slowly lowered her gun, shocked. I myself was little surprised at what I'd done. Love truly did change people. I saw it in Finn, and now I see it in me. I'd do anything to get Bellamy out of here. And all of my other friends. 

Panting heavily, hands shaking, I slowly straightened and wiped away the blood from my mouth. I nodded a thanks to the Grounder girl who helped me, and then shot an apologetic glance at Maya. I knew it must have been hard for her to see me kill one of her own people. 

"Are you alright?" I asked her, my voice soft. Maya cast her terrified gaze downwards. I put an hand on her shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?"

Shakily, she nodded. "I'm fine." 

I nodded. "Get him undressed. I'm going to get Bellamy out." 

Not that she knew who he was, but she obeyed without any questions. I searched around the place for anything I could find to break the lock on Bellamy's cage. Using Clarke's method, I ripped a pipe off the wall. My muscles screamed in protest but I managed to get it free and raced towards Bellamy's cage. I banged on the lock several times until it broke. I opened the cage and helped him out. As soon as his feet touched the floor, I hugged him, hyper-aware that our bare skin was touching. 

"See, told ya you were a fighter," he murmured into my hair. 

I could have cried I was so happy to be holding him like this. I pulled away, smiling up at him. Fighting the urge to kiss him, I instead laced my fingers with his and pulled him towards Maya. "C'mon. We have a mission to finish. Put the guard uniform on." 

He nodded and slipped Lovejoy's clothes on. I, however, was in a predicament. I couldn't very well go wandering about in the mountain in just my bloodstained underclothes. Thankfully, Maya had me covered. She spared me as much of her clothing as she could, which meant we both looked like we'd both just been fucking and slipped away from bed, but it was enough to make us look normal. As normal as possible, anyway. 

After we got dressed, we sent Lovejoy's body down the chute that Clarke and I had escaped from the first time. 

"We need to get to the radio so we can contact Clarke," I said. "We heard Jasper's SOS-"

Maya nodded. "I helped them set it up. I know where it is. But guys...your people are disappearing. Two so far. Monty and Harper." 

Dread washed over me. We should have done this sooner. I couldn't lose either of them. Especially Monty. He was one of my best friends. 

"I thought they'd be in here but-"

"Let us see the others," Bellamy interrupted. "Now."

"The dorm's on the way to the radio. First, get rid of your trackers." 

So that's what they put in us. I grit my teeth as Maya cut into my skin and cut the tracker out. Not as bad as I thought. But perhaps I was already in so much pain it just didn't matter. Both Bellamy and I put our trackers in the cages, and then we were on our way. 

We followed Maya out of the harvest chamber, Bellamy with his hat low over his face. The plan was for Bellamy to radio Clarke while I let the others know what was really going on here. I was too conspicuous without a guard uniform and other people were sure to recognize me if I risked wandering around. 

Everything was smooth going until we got into the elevator. To keep my face hidden from the camera, I stepped behind Bellamy. Not so much so that it looked suspicious, but enough that I wouldn't be recognizable if someone was watching. But to make it worse, someone else stepped into the elevator. I tensed, and Bellamy shifted his position to further shelter me from the other man's view. 

"Maya!" The man greeted. "You know, I missed you in my expressionist class."

Must have been a teacher then. 

"Yeah," Maya chuckled nervously. "I...I had work to do."

"I'll get you the notes."

Silence. Agonizing silence. I swallowed nervously as the elevator slowly slid downwards. More and more people entered the elevator, and my heart pounded in my chest. I prayed we wouldn't get caught. I didn't want to go back to the harvest chamber. Finally, we reached floor five, and stepped off. But the teacher who'd been talking to Maya caught my arm. 

"Hey, you're bleeding. You okay?" 

Maya immediately jumped into action. "You've been exposed. We need to retrace your steps and find the breach." 

She pulled both me and Bellamy back into the elevator, putting a hand over my wound. Then she turned to the teacher again. "You better go." 

"What about you?" 

"This is my job, I'll be fine."

He nodded and left us alone in the elevator as the doors closed. Heart hammering against my rib-cage, I mouthed a thank you to her. 

* * *

Alone in the hallways once again, I felt a bit more confident. I recognized a little more around here, and knew we must be getting close to the dorm where all my friends resided. Maya stopped us as we rounded a corner. I peeked around and saw a bunch of little kids filing into a classroom. Preschool. There was a preschool here. Kids. 

When they all were in the classroom, we continued on our way, only for Bellamy to be stopped by a small child. Slowly he turned and looked at him. 

"Are you on a ground unit?" He asked, eyes excited, voice inquisitive. Bellamy remained silent, so the kid continued. "My dad's training for a ground unit.

Bellamy nodded, his voice tender. "It's pretty cool up there. I hope he makes it."

Beaming, the kid turned around and headed into the room. But the name on his backpack made my stomach drop.  _Lovejoy_. I killed this kid's dad. I brought my hand up to my mouth and turned away. Guilt washed over me. I killed someone's dad. 

Bellamy interlocked his fingers with mine. I was grateful for his compassion. It made this easier. Everything I was doing was to save my people. The children in Arkadia. Not that there were many. But they came first. I shook myself free of my guilt and kept on moving forward. 

When we got to the dormitory hall, I was elated to see all my friends still alive. This was it. 

"Okay." I turned to Maya and Bellamy. "I'm going to let them in on everything, and get them out. Bellamy, you do your job. And Maya, thank you." 

She nodded. 

Bellamy stared at me, and I knew he was going in for a hug, but I wanted something much more. In case we never made it out of this fucking mountain, I had to make sure I got my first kiss. So I grabbed the collar of his jacket, pulled him towards me, and our lips locked together. Passion flooded my mind, and warmth exploded in my veins. At the same time that it was soft as a breeze, it was ignited with ardor and everything I ever dreamed it would be. But it couldn't last forever. 

Pulling out of the kiss, our noses still touching, I was so woozy from it that I practically fell over. I wanted to kiss him again, but I couldn't. 

Breathlessly, I whispered, "Good luck Bel."

"Come back to me," he replied, his voice just as soft and astounded. 

"I always will." 

I released my hold on his jacket. With passion and confidence tingling through me, I headed straight into the dorms, fearless. Both of us would succeed, and we would come out of this alive. Even as an alarm blared throughout the room, the halls, everywhere, and the guards locked us in, I believed we'd succeed. 

One look out the window of the dorm, and I caught Bellamy's eye. He gave me a nod, turned and walked away. I exhaled slowly and readied myself for the fight to come. I was not going to let Mount Weather take any more of my people away. Even if I had to kill everyone in this mountain, we were going to succeed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Finally a little taste of the love!! Hope y'all are enjoying because I certainly love writing this! Stay tuned for the next chapter!


	12. Rubicon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is a rather short one, but hope you're enjoying still! Love y'all!!

"Bellamy is here," I repeated for the hundredth time, getting fed up. 

Miller shook his head. "We've been locked up in here for hours. If it was Bellamy-"

"How the hell do you think I got back?" I snapped, keeping my voice low. "I'm telling you, he's going to radio Clarke and get us out of here." 

"I believe you," Jasper said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "I saw him. Both of you." 

Heat rose in my face. So he saw us kiss. "Thank you, Jasper."

Alarms blared, and the doors to the dorm flew open. Panic exploded in my chest of its own accord, only because I knew what that alarm meant. A bunch of guards with guns poured into the room, followed by Dr. Tsing. I positioned myself protectively in front of Monty and Jasper, hoping that if they came towards us, they'd take me instead of them. I'd done my job warning them. Now I had another: to protect them. I could fight them before they drilled into me.

Two of the guards went straight for Harper, and Monty screamed at them to let her go. I moved to pull her back, but Dr. Tsing told them to leave her. 

"She needs more time to recover. Take him instead." Dr. Tsing pointed out someone I barely recognized and the guards dragged him out of the room in Harper's place.

"Stop!" Jasper cried. "You can't keep doing this to us!"

Dr. Tsing stepped toward Jasper, and I shifted my position a little to be ready to fight her if she tried to harm him. 

"President Wallace said we could go," Jasper said, standing tall, but still shaking. I admired his courage. 

Dr Tsing replied, "That President Wallace is no longer in command. He had to step down for health reasons. I'm sorry it has to be like this."

She paused, and gave us a cold smile. "I hope you know, you're all incredibly special to us."

I narrowed my eyes and fury flared inside of me. It took everything in me not to launch myself at her or one of the guards, just out of sheer rage. We were only special because of our blood. Even when they all cleared out of the room, I was still blazing with anger. It was worse than I thought. I hoped Bellamy could talk to Clarke soon. In the meantime, we had to come up with some way to keep them from taking any more of us. 

When the guards returned again a while later, we were ready for them. As the guards entered the room, I shouted at them to link up. Everyone in the room hooked their arms together creating a barricade. If they tried to take one of us, we wouldn't make it easy. It didn't work out as well as I thought it would. As soon as Dr. Tsing pointed out one girl to take away, all hell broke loose.

One of the guards rammed the butt of his gun into Monty's stomach. He stumbled backwards and the link between he and I broke apart. I resorted to fighting, throwing punches at any guard I could. One caught my wrist before my fist could connect with him and he twisted my arm behind my back. 

"Hey let go of me!" I screamed, trying to fight him off as he shoved me towards I wall. I tried to grab onto the bars of one of the bunks to stop him, but my fingers slipped. 

"Are you  _trying_ to get yourself killed, firecracker?" The guard muttered in my ear. 

"Bellamy?" I was so relieved, I almost cried. But I kept my battle face on. "We're just-"

"Shut up and listen. They're killing them. Next time they come you have to fight back harder than this," Bellamy ordered. "I am not going to watch you die." 

"You won't," I reassured him. "We're going to make them wish we'd never come to the ground."

Bellamy chuckled and shoved a gun into my hands. "Here. Take this. Get everyone ready."

I nodded. "I will. Find Dante. Jasper says he's on our side. He'll help us." 

"Okay." 

Another guard interrupted our conversation. "Hey, everything okay over there?"

"Yes sir," Bellamy responded, his voice deeper and gruffer. Then he turned me around with an apologetic look in his eyes and punched me in the stomach. I doubled over, wheezing. As I collapsed to my hands and knees, he touched me gently on the back and barely audibly whispered, "I love you."

"I love you too," I replied. 

And then he was gone, following all the other guards out as they dragged Jessica with them. Too many. We were losing too many. Bellamy was right. We had to do something more. And now that I had a gun, we had a better chance. 

It was, perhaps, an insane plan, but it was better than being compliant. I hoped everyone would follow my lead on this. Even if they weren't much of fighters, the threat of death would be enough to give even the meekest the push to charge into battle. We gathered as much as we could from the room that would work as a weapon. Some had sharpened pencils in their hands, others carried large books, but the majority had pulled metal bars off of the beds. As for me, I gripped tight to the handgun, the metal cold beneath my fingers. 

Tensions were high as we stood in formation, waiting. 

"What's taking Bellamy so long?" Monty asked beside me. 

"I don't know," I replied. 

Miller input, "Maybe they caught him." 

The thought had crossed my mind too, but I refused to believe it. "No. Bellamy will figure a way out. I know he will."

"It's already been four hours," Monty warned. "The guards will be back. They're gonna take someone else."

"No!" I hissed, putting as much authority and reassurance into my voice as I could. I was not going to let these people give up on salvation. On Bellamy. "Listen to me. Everyone, we stick to the plan. They're not taking anyone else out of this room without a fight!"

Just as I finished my speech, the alarm buzzed again. 

"Get ready!" I said, hooking my arms between Monty and Miller. 

I stood tall and proud, pulsating with a strange combination of courage and fear, buzzing with energy, as the guards approached us. Dr. Tsing approached us, and I threw her the most intense, fiery glare I could manage. A tense disquiet fell over the room as she perused us, looking for her next victim. When she did, my stomach dropped. 

"This one," she said, pointing at Monty. 

I tightened my hold on him, not willing to let go, but in the end it wasn't worth much as two guards wrestled Monty from between Jasper and I. As they dragged Monty towards the door, I stepped out of the barricade, aiming my gun at Dr. Tsing. 

"Hey!" I spat, my words filled with fiery poison. "Get your hands off him!"

One of the guards let go of Monty and turned to hit me with their electric beating rod, but without hesitation, I shot him in the chest. For a moment, he stared down at his chest and then at me. Chaos erupted. The guard came at me, and beat the gun out of my hand, then before I could react, punched me in the face. I stumbled down, and fell to the ground, spitting blood to the concrete. Behind me, all my friends whipped out their weapons and attacked anyone that came near them. But in the end, the guards were still stronger than us. 

Silence fell. Dr. Tsing stepped forward and said, "Take her instead."

Panic exploded in my chest as two guards yanked me to my feet.

"No you can't!" Jasper screamed.

"NO! Please!" I cried. I hated how desperate I sounded. Just like in the garage when Lincoln was attacking me. I was so close to death and so useless to save myself and the people I cared about. 

"Y/n!" Monty called. "Not Y/n!" 

"Let her go!" Miller shouted. 

I shook my head, holding back tears. "Leave me!" 

There was nothing more I could say to them, as the guards dragged me out into the hall. I hoped they continued to fight, that I would be the last to end up in the chamber. The last to die. Bellamy was going to be  _so_ mad at me. 

"As soon as we're in the lab, I want her prepped," Dr. Tsing said behind me. "We start immediately."

"Copy that," a guard responded. 

Struggling with as much might as I could against the guards proved to be futile. Maybe I'd have a split second chance to escape when they released me in the harvesting room, but I still didn't find my chances of survival...likely. Ten percent at most. Less, probably. 

Even so, I wasn't going down easily. Screaming, struggling, kicking at the guards, my throat nearly went raw. 

We stopped at the elevator as Dr. Tsing swiped her ID card. I'd stopped fighting now. Just simmered in anger. But a spark of hope presented itself when I saw the guards shift uncomfortably, gently touching their faces. 

"Something's wrong," said one, whose skin was getting redder. Around me, they all coughed, skin turning red and splotchy. 

"Radiation," Dr. Tsing announced, terrified. "We need to get out of here."

"My skin! It burns!" 

Dr. Tsing grabbed one of the guards walkies. "Containment breach, level five! Seal the whole floor." 

The two guards who'd been holding onto me slowly slid to the ground, screaming in agony. I watched, eyes wide, as the radiation took hold on them. Only one good reason could explain this. I glanced over my shoulder at the vents. 

"Bellamy," I murmured, a smile tugging at my lips. He'd come through. I knew he would, but I couldn't ignore the relief I felt. Part of me had been doubtful, I supposed. 

A woman's voice reverberated throughout the halls over the PA.  _Containment breach._ My smile grew. Soon, everyone on this floor would be sick which meant there was no one to stop my friends. They poured out of the dorm, racing down the hall. 

"Let's go!" I shouted, directing them where to go. "This is our chance! Everybody move! Take the level! Monty, get the cameras! Miller, get their guns."

They nodded and followed my orders. I scanned the hall, making sure all my people were safe and noticed that Dr. Tsing was trying to crawl away into the elevator. I scooped up a metal rod from the ground and rushed towards the closing doors, sticking them in between before they closed fully. 

Monty, Jasper, and Miller appeared behind me, all of us staring down at the sickened, blistered doctor who had been killing us. 

"No," she pleaded. "You can't."

I glared at her, poisonous tranquility coursing through my veins. I had no desire to see her take another breath. She'd taken the lives of too many to deserve one herself. So, with a cold, cruel, nearly unrecognizable tone, I said, "I hope you know you're incredibly special to us."

Radiation fully took over Dr. Tsing, and her face blistered over completely in a horrifying array of red and yellow, and she screamed in pain before silencing completely. 

I exhaled slowly and then turned to my friends, softening my gaze. "Alright, guys. We have to defend this level with all we've got. Ready?" 

They nodded. I brought all of them into a hug, just in case we never got the chance again. 

"Good. Because this is going to be the fight of our lives."


	13. Resurrection

Everyone was tense, pumping with nervous energy as we overtook level five. I elbowed the glass of an in case of emergency ax and brushed the shards away. Holding tight to the handle, I exhaled slowly. We were going to defend this place with all we had. The Mountain Men would not win. Not if I had anything to do about it. 

Monty yanked out the panel for the keycards. Sparks flew and he jumped away. I stifled a snort. 

"Y/n, where do you want this?" Miller asked, as he and another kid walked by carrying a bed frame. 

"Here," I directed them to a spot in front of the door. "No weak spots. We need to make sure they don't get in. We took the level, but now we have to hold it!"

Around me, all my friends scrambled to stack furniture and anything else they could find against any and all points of entry. 

"They will be coming!" I shouted, hoping I was inspiring, even if the situation was rather grave. "And we need to be ready!"

Everyone grunted in response and didn't relent from their work. Jasper acted as my so-called second, barking out orders to anyone who couldn't hear me. 

"Harper," I said, as I approached her. "Get some pots and fill them with water. As big as you can okay?" 

She tilted her head in confusion, but followed my orders anyway. I knew what I was doing. If the Mountain Men ever did make it through our barricade, their smoke bombs and flash bangs wouldn't hinder us. 

"Watch out!" Fox yelled as I walked by. I ducked just in time and the remnants of a security camera shattered to the floor around me. 

"Nice, Fox! Let's go get the hallway cameras, alright?" 

"Nope!" Monty interjected. I turned to him, about to argue, but he continued, "Leave the hallway cameras. We need eyes out there."

I smiled, impressed. "You can do that?" 

Monty scoffed, walking away with an electronic panel. "Have you met me?" 

I followed after him, Jasper catching up with us. "Where are we on the doors?"

"Elevators are disabled," Monty relayed to us, tinkering with another electric door panel. "I shorted the other stairwell locks. This one's tricky though, I can't seem to-"

I cut him off as I swung at it with my ax. Sparks flew as it broke. Monty pursed his lips. 

"Alright, that works too." 

I smirked. "Sorry. Impatient."

We turned to watch all our people continue barricading the doors, scurrying around each other, doing anything they could to make sure we stayed alive. 

"How long do you think we can hold them off?" Jasper murmured. 

"As long as we have to," I replied, putting a firm hand on each of their shoulders, trying not to impale either of them with the ax. "This'll work." 

Monty and Jasper gave me tense, sympathetic smiles. 

* * *

We'd finally finished blocking everything for as much as we could. If I thought tensions were high before, this was incomparable. Before, everyone was rushing around, had a job to do, something to keep their minds off of the imminent danger. Now all we could do was pace around the room, gripping tight to our weapons, waiting for the inevitable. I could almost feel everyone's nervousness and it was overwhelming. 

I glanced over Monty's shoulder at the screen he held in his hands. Still, there was nothing in the hallways. When were they coming? 

I got my answer almost immediately. An explosion rocked the room, and on the screen I saw a door fly off its hinges. Everyone jumped and gripped tighter to their guns or axes or pieces of wood. It was starting. 

Fox ran up to me, terror in her eyes. "We're not ready for this."

I knew how terrified she was. I was too. We all were. So I tried to be as gentle and authoritative as possible. If any of them lost their confidence in this, we'd lose. And I couldn't let that happen. "Yes, we are. Just follow the plan. We'll be okay. I promise." 

Monty shoved the screen in my face as Fox walked away. "No guns. You were right." 

I nodded. "It's because they can't kill us."

"Not like this anyway," Jasper added, his voice dark. 

I refrained from rolling my eyes. "Yes, thank you Jasper." 

"Wait a second," Monty said. "Some of them aren't wearing hazmat suits."

My stomach dropped. Not good. 

"What's it mean?" Miller inquired. 

"It means they're cured," I replied, my voice gruffer than I meant it to be. I couldn't help it. They could only survive the radiation because they'd killed my friends. "Marrow treatments worked."

Shouting echoed from the other side of the heavy metal door. They rammed at our barricaded door, and my heart leaped into my throat. 

"Get ready!" I yelled, raising my ax. 

My heart beat harder and harder as they rammed the door. And when the doors broke open, adrenaline exploded in my veins. Through our barricade of chairs and beds, they through the same red knockout gas canisters they'd used to capture us in the first place. 

Quiet as possible, we snatched up the canisters and dropped them in the buckets of water I'd told Harper to put together. When we were sure we'd doused all of them, I dropped to the floor alongside my friends, pretending to be unconscious. The ax was cold under me, as I held it tightly to my chest. I didn't move as the men tore down our barricade, nor as they stepped over me, and the rest of my friends. Eyes closed, breathing steady, I waited. 

One of the guards stepped towards a bucket of water near me, and reached inside. When he pulled out one of the canisters, I knew that was the moment. 

Surging with energy, I leaped to my feet and charged at one of the guards in a hazmat suit, striking him down in one blow. Monty rolled over, aiming his stolen gun upwards, shooting at any Mountain Man that approached him. All around me, my people snapped into action, screaming with fury, attacking anyone they could. Gunfire and grunts of battle echoed all around me. 

I struck down another guard, his blood splattering onto my face. Part of me, a very minuscule remnant of who I was on the Ark begged for me to stop, but I ignored it. I was different now, and I would go to any lengths to defend my friends. Even if that meant killing all the Mountain Men. 

I kept swinging, knocking down all the Mountain Men I could until the one who'd picked up the canister called for a retreat. Laughing victoriously, I turned to my friends, wiping blood from my eyes. 

"We did it!" I exclaimed. Cheers erupted around me. "Seal the barricade!"

As everyone moved to put our wall back up, a voice on the monitor made my heart lurch. 

"NO!" It was Fox's voice, terrified, desperate, pleading. "Y/n, you promised!" 

"Fox!" I screamed, racing towards the exit. Miller caught me, keeping me from running out, but I struggled against his grip. "Fox, no! No! I promised she'd be okay!"

Miller tightened his grip on me, and slowly I stopped fighting, going limp in his arms. 

"I promised her." My voice was tired, broken. It was horrible, but I supposed there was nothing I could do to help her now. 

Ravaging grief burning through me, I pulled out of Miller's hug. Behind me, a man in a hazmat suit coughed, and started crawling for escape. Without hesitation, I picked up my ax again and with a scream, brought it down on him. It sunk deep into his back, and he went limp. My friends stared at me, concern in their eyes and I stared back with fire in mine. I wiped the man's blood from my face with the back of my hand and rose to my full height, hoping I radiated intimidation. No one else was going to be taken. No one. 

* * *

Cleaning up the bodies was harder work that I would have thought. Maybe because no one really wanted to; more important things were on hand. But we had to do something while I figured out my next move. Losing Fox had taken a toll on me. That innocent part of me from the Ark, from before my mother died, from before being on earth, was silent. I couldn't feel her presence anymore. Now I was truly changed. Tougher. Smarter. And a fighter.

"They're gonna come in a lot hotter next time. You know that, right?" Miller said, his voice panicked and accusatory. I tried not to take it personally. Everyone's nerves were frayed. 

"Yes I know that," I snapped. "All we gotta do is hold the floor until Bellamy figures a way out."

"We need more than a bucket of water and four guns to do that," Miller argued. 

I glared, but I knew he was right. Our chances were slim, but I could work with slim. 

The radio crackled. "This is President Wallace talking to the people who killed ten of my men."

I picked up the radio, but before I could say anything, Monty showed me the monitor. I grit my teeth when I saw someone standing outside of the elevator in a hazmat suit. 

"I thought we'd try something a little different this time," Wallace continued through the radio. "There's only twenty minutes of oxygen in Maya's suit. I know she's a friend of yours. In twenty minutes, your friend will either suffocate or burn."

I balled my hands into fists. She didn't deserve this. The fight was with me and my people. Not her. In the corner of my eye I saw Jasper's eyes widen, and then steel. From what I understood they liked each other. I felt his anger. I had no idea where Bellamy was, or if he was okay, but even if I had faith in him, I still feared the worst. And now Jasper was faced with that possibility with the one he had a crush on. 

"All you have to do," Wallace said, "is surrender."

Which wasn't an option. But I wasn't going to let Maya die for us either. We welcomed her into the room, and Jasper immediately rushed to her side to make sure she was okay. I gave them a brief moment to reunite before Monty and I joined them. 

"Listen to me," Maya rasped through her suit. "Fox is okay. Bellamy saved her. He's gonna send some guns in here through the trash chute." 

I closed my eyes and exhaled in relief. Thank fuck. Not only had I not failed Fox, Bellamy was doing okay. He would always come through for us. A solitary tear slipped down my face. I scorned myself. There was still time for shit to hit the fan. I needed to save my tears until after the battle. 

"If we can get guns in, we can get you out," Jasper exclaimed. 

"No we can't," Monty muttered. I glanced over at him, an eyebrow raised. "I dismantled the chute. I'm sorry! I didn't think we'd be trying to open it ourselves!"

I put a comforting hand on Monty's shoulder. He was only doing what he thought would help us survive. In turn, he put a hand on Maya's. 

"I can fix it," he reassured us. 

I nodded, and followed him to help get the chute open. With every minute that passed by, I grew more anxious. Jasper was understandably even worse, pacing around, always keeping his eyes on Maya, who wasn't looking so good. 

"She's almost out of oxygen," Harper noted, looking at her watch. "It's been nineteen minutes."

"Not helping, Harper," Monty remarked as he fiddled with the chute some more. I wasn't exactly sure what he was doing, but I trusted he'd get it done. 

"Don't worry," Jasper said. I admired his hope. "We'll get it open. Won't we?"

"Almost there," Monty murmured. 

"Not good enough," Miller said, and I shot him a glare. 

"Also not helpful, Nate," I snapped. 

"I just need to bypass the-" Monty yelped as the wires sparked. "Screw this."

Monty yanked all the wires out, and my eyes went wide. 

"The hell did you do?" I asked, praying it did nothing to hurt Bellamy. 

"Cut the power to the motor," Monty explained. "Here, help me."

Miller, Monty, and I gripped tight to the handle of the trash chute and pulled with all our might. Grunting, my arms screaming in protest, but I couldn't stop. 

"We can't get leverage!" Monty shouted. 

Harper exclaimed, "There's someone in there!"

"They're coming in!" Jasper screamed, panicked. I myself was just as terrified that maybe it was more Mountain Men. 

We let go of the chute, and Jasper aimed a gun at it, ready to kill whoever came through. When it finally kicked open, I gasped. Relief flooded over me. Not just because it wasn't someone trying to kill us, but because it was Bellamy. He was okay. I wanted to hug him, but Maya was the priority. 

"Get her in here!" Bellamy ordered. 

I helped Maya into the chute, and then went down after her, followed closely by Jasper. Sliding down the chute was admittedly more enjoyable than I thought it would have been. More so, if we weren't fighting for our lives. Landing, however, was another story. We let out into a metal bin, and I groaned in pain.

Jasper ripped the helmet of Maya's suit off to make sure she could breathe. He hugged her, clearly overjoyed that she was okay. I turned my attention elsewhere. I jumped out of the cart and rushed into Bellamy's arms. He wrapped his arms around me, and squeezed tight. Despite the dire situation, I kissed him again. Just as the first time, tingles of comfort and pleasure filled me from head to toe. I smiled against his lips, and deepened it. Everything else melted away as we stood there, tangled in each other's arms, lips locked together. 

"Glad you're still kickin'," I murmured when we pulled away. 

Bellamy kissed the top of my head. "You too, firecracker."

"Dad?" Maya's voice pulled us from each other, and we turned to see a ragged man standing at the end of the hall. "What are you doing here?"

"What your mother would have done," he replied, pulling her into a hug. 

"Hey listen to me," Bellamy said, turning to me and Jasper. "Clarke is closing in with an army of Grounders." 

"What?" Jasper exclaimed. 

"We have to keep all of you safe until then," Bellamy continued. 

Jasper smiled. "Don't tell me Finn finally got his peace talks."

I pursed my lips. I hadn't mentioned his death to any of the others. No point in bringing them down while fighting for their lives. 

"Something like that," I murmured. 

"C'mon, we got a lot of work to do," Bellamy said, heading away down the hall.

Without hesitation, I followed him back up to the dormitories. Cage would be coming soon to break down the doors to the dorm and collect my people. We had to get there first. 

Leading them through Mount Weather was stressful. Trying to keep forty-some people quiet while searching for an exit was difficult. 

"We're sitting ducks in a group like this," Miller grunted, when we turned down another hallway. True, but I didn't know what other option we had. 

"You're right," Bellamy agreed. "So we're gonna split up."

I grabbed his arm and spun him around. "No! We do this together. We survive together."

"Bellamy's right," Jasper concurred. 

"They don't trust Maya anymore. Who the hell's gonna help us now?" Miller brought up a good point. If we split up, how would we escape this place?

Bellamy tilted his head and led us around the corner. On the other side of the hall, a group of people stood, waiting for us, led by Maya and her father. "They are."

"We're going to hide you," Maya said. "Not everyone here agrees with Cage. Not by a long shot."

"Come with me," Maya's father said, waving his hand. "We'll divide you along the way."

All of my friends streamed towards the citizens of the mountain who our lives rested with. I remained stoic beside Bellamy, along with Monty and Jasper, relieved that we had enough inside help to get us to escape the mountain. Not to mention Clarke's army outside that would make us unbeatable. 

Bellamy turned to leave, and I gently grabbed his hand. "Hey, we're coming with you."

"No, you're not," he replied, his voice gentle but commanding. "They don't know I'm here. I need to keep it that way." 

I exchanged glances with the other two, who both didn't seem to want to stay here either. 

"So what do we do?" Monty inquired, his voice defeated. He wanted to help just as much as the rest of us. As much as me.  

Bellamy said, his voice gruff, his eyes full of courage, "Stay alive. Be ready to fight. War is coming."

I nodded, and pulled him in for one last gentle kiss, just barely brushing my lips against his, and then pressed my forehead against his. "Fight hard and come back to me." 

He put a hand on the back of my head and closed his eyes. "You too, firecracker." 

One more moment we stayed, like that, and then he was gone. Slowly, I let my hand drop to my side, and then turned back to Monty and Jasper. Both of them had the same sort of courageous steel in their eyes that burned in mine. These people were not going to get away with killing us, nor any one of their own people that dared to help us. I was going to make sure of that. 

We were going to ravage this mountain until the sight of it rivaled even that of hell itself.


	14. Bodyguard of Lies

Bellamy was going to kill me for following him. But what was I supposed to do? How did anyone, especially him, expect me to hide and wait for someone to rescue us? Bellamy knew me better than most people, so he should have known I would have to do something. Feeling useless was the worst, and I wasn't going to allow myself to experience that right now. Not when so many of my friends were on the line. 

He'd just stopped by Maya's father Vincent's place, I assumed to find another route to shut down the acid fog. In his hand, he carried a strange object I'd overheard was called an acetylene torch, for whatever that meant. Explosive, probably. Something along the lines. 

"Bellamy," I hissed, trying to keep my voice low, constantly looking over my shoulder to make sure no one was following me. Thankfully it was clear. "Bel!" 

He stopped in front of a vent, and glanced over at me. When he recognized who I was, his expression turned from surprise to relief to irritation, the latter of which I was expecting. 

"Y/n, what the hell are you doing?" 

"Oh you knew I wasn't going to just sit quietly and let you have all the fun," I replied, stepping closer to him. "You could sooner divert a river from its course than deny my nature."

Bellamy rolled his eyes and sighed. He knew this argument would only waste time. "Okay, Shakespeare. No need for the dramatics. You're insane."

I tilted my head and gave him a shit-eating grin. "It's why you love me."

"It's why you drive me mad, actually, but we don't have time for this. C'mon."

Bellamy crawled into the vent and I clambered after him. I tried to ignore the fact that I was definitely staring at his ass the entire time we crawled. Even as I cast my gaze down to my hands, focusing on crawling, I always found my eyes straying back up. Heat rose in my cheeks and I scorned myself. Now was  _definitely not_ the time to be thinking about... _that_. 

When we finally reached the end of the vent, Bellamy lined up the torch along the edges of the vent door and turned it on. Flames filled the darkness and the acrid scent of burning metal stung my nose. Bellamy gently set the grate down once he'd finished burning away the edges. He crawled out, and I followed closely behind. Huge tanks stood in a line down the center of the room, that which I could only assume produced the acid fog. 

I looked around and caught a glimpse of another fire safety ax encased in glass, similar to the one I'd used before as a weapon. Using my elbow, I broke the glass and cleared away the shards. I climbed up to the main entry doors, and used the butt of the ax to break the electronic panel. Then I stuck the ax through the handles, hoping it would be enough to bar anyone from getting in. Or at least buy us enough time to shut down the fog. 

I slipped back through the yellow bars and dropped down to the level of the tanks, brushing my hands off, and joined Bellamy. 

"Come in, Raven, I made it," he was saying into his earpiece. "I hope you have a plan."

"We're still working on it," her voice crackled through. I could barely hear what she was saying as the radio was in Bellamy's ear, but I understood enough. "Give us something to go on. What do you see?"

"A huge steel vat. Looks like a submarine." Bellamy paced around, and I followed close behind, listening, preparing myself for a fight. "Some other tanks with chemical formulas. Warning labels. A bunch of pipes going into the walls. A monitor."

"Oh! Go to the monitor!" It was Wick's voice. 

"Hello to you too," I muttered, and Bellamy chuckled at me. 

"Don't mind Wick. He's not really helping," Raven drawled. Good to see she had started to get along with him. 

"Hey Bellamy," Wick said, taking over the radio again. "How's my boy Monty?" 

"Uh, fine, yeah. But I don't know for how long."

 _Way to be optimistic_ , I thought. But he was right. None of us knew how long we had left in life here. That was the miserable reality. 

"Great, pleasantries over," Wick grunted. "Listen, if that monitor is a control panel, we can use it to kill this thing. Look for a pH scale."

"Right, well it has a scale, but the rest uh..."

I glanced over Bellamy's shoulder to the monitor. Strangely, I recognized some of the symbols. I was never much of a chemist, but my mother had been all over that. She loved her job so much that I picked up a little when she talked about it endlessly at home. 

"Can I just blow this thing?" Bellamy huffed after listing off the combinations of letters. 

"No, they'll know their defenses are down," Raven said. 

Wick added, "They'll send a tech to fix it, reroute it, or pull out a weapon we don't even know about."

"Plus you'd probably melt your face off," Raven snorted. 

Bellamy sighed. Time ticked by faster than I'd have liked it to as we stood over the monitor debating on how we could possibly take down the fog. Over and over again, the combination of letters and numbers repeated in my mind. What did they mean? I never had the chance to take any advanced classes on the Ark, so it was a bit harder. Not that I'd have qualified for them anyway. But Mom would know what to do, what all this meant. 

I grabbed Bellamy's arm, interrupting him relaying information to Raven and Wick. "Corrosion! There must be a protective oxide film on these tanks, and with tanks this old they'd have to be cleaned. And neutralized!" 

"She's right," Raven said, her voice as astounded as Bellamy looked. I beamed, rather proud of myself. It was all thanks to my eavesdropping on my mother talking about her job in Mecha. Her spirit really was with me right now. "Look for something called passivation."

"Okay, I'm on it," Bellamy grunted, scrolling through the sub-directories on the monitor. "I got it. It says aqueous sodium hydroxide bath."

"That's a base," I murmured, at the same time Wick said it through the radio. I clamped my mouth shut and let him finish. 

"It'll neutralize the acid. Select that."

Bellamy did as he said, and the pumps started up. Hissing and groaning filled the room as the passivation process took place. My smile grew as the pH level started to rise. It was working. Soon, the fog would be harmless. When the pH reached seven, the pumps winded down. 

"Passivation successful," Bellamy and I said at the same time. Out of relief from finishing the job, he lifted me off my feet and spun me around in the most grandeur hug ever. Certainly unexpected coming from him, but not unappreciated. Both of us were smiling. We'd done it. 

When he put me down, he told Raven to send out the flare, letting Clarke know that the army could begin the march. 

"Roger that." 

As we headed back to the vent we came through, I interlocked my fingers with Bellamy's. I never wanted to let go. But I did as soon as we reached the vent, and something curious caught my eye. It looked like an old manual dial that measured pH. 

"Hey, look at this," I whispered, clearing away some of the grime from the front of it. My stomach dropped and I shot a panicked glance at Bellamy. The pH level still read zero. Completely acidic. The computer had been wrong. We hadn't neutralized shit. 

"Raven, we got a problem!" Bellamy frantically said into his earpiece. But there was no response. "Damn it, where are you? I don't think the acid fog is down. Get word to Clarke. We have to stop the army. Raven?" 

My heart hammered. Something wasn't right. Why wasn't she responding? Either she'd left her post, which I found unlikely, or Cage had somehow interfered with our radio signal. And to make matters worse, on the monitor, the pH dropped all the way back down again. 

"No," I gasped. "Oh no." 

Bellamy was experiencing about the same level of distress that I was. Two panicked minds did not make for a good recipe in a deathly climate. Alarms blared, only adding to the stress. Above us, the main entry door started rattling as guards tried to break through. Wildly, I looked around for some way out of this, and my eyes fell upon a large canister labeled FLAMMABLE. I exchanged a glance with Bellamy and he seemed to know what was going through my mind. It was crazy dangerous, but it was our only option if we wanted to get out of here alive. Bellamy gripped tight to the torch in his hand, but before he could do anything, the door above us burst open. 

Guards jumped down to our level and Bellamy and I took off. Tearing through the pipes, we took refuge around a corner, hiding behind a tall propane tank. 

"Come out!" One of the guards shouted. "Hands first!" 

Revving with energy, I gave Bellamy a single nod and then I raced towards the vent we'd crawled through to get here. Bullets ricocheted across the walls and I shielded my head. Thankfully, none of the shots even grazed me, and I dove headfirst into the vent shaft. I didn't wait to see if Bellamy made it too. I just started crawling, but then I heard his heavy breaths behind me and I bit back a smile. We'd get through this. 

Bellamy turned around and fired his two guns at the guards who stood at the entrance to the vent. Within seconds, he ran out of bullets and dropped the weapons. I crawled faster than I ever had before, trying to reach the outlet. 

Beneath us, an explosion rocked the building. I smiled. So leaving the torch burning on the propane tank had worked. We'd destroyed the acid fog. But as I felt the heat climbing, I sped towards the exit. With no other outlet, the intense flames of the explosion would chase us through the vent. Just in time, I jumped out onto the ground, and grabbed Bellamy's hand, yanking him out after me.  I curled into a ball, bracing myself for the force of the explosion to pass. 

Wheezing, I helped Bellamy to his feet. Smoke and the scent of gas filled the air, and I coughed. My eyes stung and my lungs burned, but I smiled. We'd done it. We'd saved the army, and soon we'd win this war. 

I pulled Bellamy into another hug. "See, told you my idea would work." 

He stroked my hair. "You didn't say it out loud." 

I laughed. "You and your technicalities. Point is, you stopped the acid fog. You're a hero, Bel." 

"You're the hero, firecracker," he murmured into my ear. "You're my hero." 

My smile grew wider, and I hugged him tighter. Both of us were covered in blood and sweat and reeked of gas but I'd truly never been happier to hold him. Fire nearly consumed us not but a moment before. Yet here we were, alive, and successful in saving our friends outside the mountain. 

But that was supposed to be the easy part. Now, we had to get everyone out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all sorry for another short chapter! It's mostly action scenes now, so they're probably gonna be a bit shorter here on out. Hope you're enjoying, curled up with blankets and hot chocolate! It's what I'm doing while I'm writing. Duluth is supposed to reach record low temperatures this month at -54 Fahrenheit (-45 Celsius) so I'm not really leaving the comfort of my heated blanket. Stay safe and warm y'all!!


	15. Blood Must Have Blood - I

Back again in the harvest chamber, anxiety ate at my mind. Too many times I'd been in this room, all under horrible circumstances. Seeing the cages filled with wounded, tired grounders, the air filled with angry, desperate moans, it all made me want to puke. But I pushed through my horror. Letting them all go was the most important thing. We had an army on the inside and the outside of the mountain, but only if we could release everyone in here. 

With keys we'd stolen from the guards, Bellamy and I began to unlock as many of the cages as we could. It was slow going, and the shouting of the Grounders and the rattling of their cages wasn't helping my shaking hands. I'd only managed to make it through four cages before I had to take a break to calm myself down. 

"Too much noise!" Bellamy cried. If the Mountain Men heard us in here, everything would fall through. 

The girl who'd been in the cage beside Bellamy and helped me kill Lovejoy screamed something in Trigedasleng to all the Grounders and a hush fell over the room. 

"Okay, how do we do this," she asked us. 

"There's an army outside going for the main door," Bellamy explained. "When they get it open, all hell will break loose. That is the signal for my friends to come here and then-"

He cut off as feedback crackled over the PA system. My heart thudded as I waited anxiously to hear what was to be said. When it was Cage's voice that came through, my blood turned to ice, and I balled my hands into fists. 

"My fellow citizens, this is your President speaking. I have news to share with you that will change all our lives forever. For ninety seven years, Mount Weather has been our home. It's kept us alive, but it's also held us captive. Most of us have made peace with what we've had to do to survive. We've done these things for one reason. So that our people could some day return to the ground."

I exchanged a panicked glance with Bellamy. I had a sinking feeling I knew where this was going. 

"That day is today," Cage announced. 

"He's going public," Bellamy murmured, his voice laced with horror. 

"Before my friend, Lorelei Tsing, was murdered by the Outsiders still at large in this mountain," Cage continued, "she found a cure. It was in their bone marrow." 

My stomach dropped. Bellamy seemed to have the same thought as me, and shoved the keys to the Grounder girl. We had to get out of here and defend our friends, because Cage was trying to turn his people against each other. They'd eventually find all my friends. She could finish releasing her fellow Grounders while we rounded up our people and sent them here. Where, ironically, they'd be safe. 

"This has been the dream of our people since the bombs," Cage's voice continued, echoing through all the hallways Bellamy and I raced through. "But to reach it now, I need your help. The forty four criminals that irradiated level five killing fifteen of our people, are now keeping us from this dream. Although we've repaired our home we can never replace the lives that were so viciously taken from us."

Another burst of fury exploded in my veins, pumping my adrenaline even faster. That was all in self defense. Cage was the one who'd really been viciously killing people. Namely, my friends. 

"Yet as hard as it is to believe," Cage said, "there are those among us who would help the people who did this. And I am speaking to you now."

My heart thudded ever faster, and I nearly skidded into a wall as we rounded a corner. God, this was all going to shit. We were running out of time. 

"If you truly want to end blood treatments once and for all, then the forty-four murderers you're now hiding are the key to doing that. You have one hour to turn them in without punishment," Cage threatened. "After that, we'll be forced to consider you enemies of the state. I'm asking you, please, do what's right for your people, our people."

 _I am doing what's right for_ my  _people_ , I thought.  _What you're doing is infernal._

"So that we can all take our rightful place on the ground." He paused, and I could almost feel the hope surging in the Mountain Men. Cage was convincing, I'd give him that. "We're almost home."

Silence. Cage had finished his speech, which meant we had less than an hour to get everyone to the harvest chamber. 

* * *

Saving everyone truly was the hard part. As I had feared, people began giving up my friends, ensuring their own safety, and by extension, improving their quality of life by getting topside. Already, Jasper, Miller, and Fox had been captured, along with Maya. I wasn't sure where everyone else was, but Vincent had ran into us in the hall and asked for our help, so of course we would. 

Bellamy and I lied in wait inside a vent, as Vincent stood at the end of the hall. From the other end, the undeniable sound of chains rattled on the floor, accompanied by dragging feet. I gripped tight to the handgun Vincent had given me, ready for the moment to come. 

"Out of the way, Vincent," said who I assumed was the leading guard who'd caught my friends. I grit my teeth, and my knuckles whitened around the grip of the gun. Bellamy must have sensed my anger, because he shifted closer to me, and our fingers brushed together. It wasn't as calming as it normally would have been. I was too overwhelmed with fury and terror. But it also may have been the fact that vents were not built to hold two people side by side and I was uncomfortable. 

"That's my daughter," Vincent replied, his voice broken and heavy with sorrow. It only made me feel worse. I clenched my jaw so tight I feared my teeth might shatter. 

"Dad, don't!" Maya called, her voice shaking. 

"Quiet!" The guard barked. "She's been aiding and abetting the Outsiders. You need to get out of our way."

"I won't let you take her, Paul."

"Listen carefully," Paul warned. "We've got orders. She knows where they're hiding. Now, step aside. I'm not gonna ask you again."

"If you want her, you gotta go through me," Vincent said. 

"Dad, please," Maya whimpered. "They'll kill you."

"Don't make me do this Vincent."

Vincent sighed, and Maya started sobbing. "I'm sorry, Paul."

Paul lifted his gun, to shoot at Vincent, and I didn't hesitate. I aimed to the best of my ability in the cramped, dim space, and then took the shot. Blood flew as the bullet went straight through the guard's head. Vincent pulled the grate off, and Bellamy and I jumped out, aiming our guns, ready to shoot any other guards, but Miller and Jasper already seemed to have that covered as they choked him with the manacles around their wrists. 

"Hey, good job," Bellamy praised Vincent. 

He nodded. "Thank you. Nice aim."

I flashed him an empty smile. "I've had a lot of practice. Miller, you okay?"

"Better than you," he quipped, and I huffed. Good to see he was remaining himself. 

"Get everyone to the harvest chamber," Bellamy ordered. "You'll be safer there." 

"Safe in the harvest chamber?" Jasper questioned. 

"Just trust me," Bellamy pleaded, his voice gruff. 

"Are the others there?" 

"Not yet." 

"Monty?" Jasper asked, his voice panicked. 

"Monty's with the other group on level three," Vincent explained. "We moved them there after the last sweep. You should go there next."

Bellamy nodded. "Go. Vincent will take you. I won't be long."

"Hey," Jasper said, picking up one of the dead guard's guns. "I'm coming with you."

"So am I," I said, my eyes alight with fighting spirit. 

Bellamy sighed. "Guys." 

"We promised we'd protect them, and that's exactly what we're going to do," Jasper challenged. I squared my shoulders and stared down Bellamy. 

He nodded. "Let's go." 

I took off with Bellamy, gripping tight to my gun. Jasper wasn't behind us, so I took a pause to wait for him. In the spare minute, I took the time to have another tender moment with Bellamy. I wasn't sure how much time we had left together, which wasn't the optimal point of view, but it was the realistic one. In the midst of all the fighting there was no way we'd have more time like this. 

"Hey," I murmured. "I just wanted to say thank you. For everything." 

He tilted his head, and narrowed his eyes. "Don't talk like that." 

"Like what?" 

"Like we're never going to see each other again," he replied, his voice strong and yet I detected some manner of sorrow beneath it. 

"We will, Bel," I promised, pulling him into a hug. "You're the one who said we always bounce back. I just wanted to make sure you knew that I loved you." 

Bellamy leaned in, brushing his lips against mine. "You're right. But we can save the I love yous for when the battle is over." 

I smiled. "And now you're right." 

"C'mon lovebirds," Jasper panted, as he breezed by with Maya in tow. 

We snapped away from each other and raced down the dimly lit hallways. Time was ticking down, as was becoming painfully clear with how slow vent travel was. When we popped out the other side, my knees were rather sore. 

"Alright, don't have much time," Bellamy said, as if we needed the reminder. "The last twelve are on this level."

"Including Monty," I added. "Which way?" 

"This way!" Maya pointed out, when she jumped out of the vent. 

As we headed down the direction Maya told us to, the PA crackled with another announcement. 

"Attention. Class one quarantine protocols are now in effect. All citizens must report to level five immediately. Hard-seal lock-down in T-minus thirty minutes."

Shit. No way was Maya getting in there. Nor anyone who'd helped us. 

Jasper tried to be reassuring, but I wasn't so sure it worked. "Listen to me. It's gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay. We're not gonna let anything happen to you, will we?" 

"No, of course not!" I exclaimed. How we were going to accomplish that, though, I wasn't quite sure. 

"Jasper, in thirty minutes all backup power gets diverted for species continuity," Maya explained, her voice shaking with fear. "That means level five for life support and security. Radiation will seep in everywhere else. I can't go to level five without being shot in the head."

Yeah, it was a predicament. I exchanged a glance with Bellamy, who seemed to be thinking the same thing as me. We'd do everything we could to save her, but in the end, it might turn out to be impossible. 

"Guys, we need to keep moving," Bellamy urged. 

"We'll get you a hazmat suit," Jasper promised. "Extra oxygen. Enough to last until your engineers get the power back on."

"Then what?" Maya snapped. "Think Wallace Cage is going to let me live here after that?" 

_Attention. Class one quarantine protocols are now in effect._

"Then we kill him," I offered, my voice strangely nonchalant. All three of them shot me looks. Jasper's was somehow grateful. But Bellamy's was pained. Something that sent a shock of guilt through me. Maybe I'd changed too much too fast. But whatever I'd become, Cage deserved what was coming to him. 

 _All citizens must report to level five immediately_. 

A gunshot echoed through the halls, shattering the resigned silence that'd fallen over us. I snapped into action and raced towards the source of the sound. Monty was down here. Oh fuck, what if they'd killed Monty? Rounding the corner, relief washed over me when I found that the victim of the shot wasn't Monty. Unfortunately, it  _was_ the woman who had been hiding the last twelve of my friends. 

"Where'd they take them?" I murmured. 

"It's gotta be level five," Maya said. 

Jasper moved towards the elevator, but Bellamy stopped him. "No."

"Get out of my way," Jasper growled.

"Every person in this mountain is on level five. Every soldier. Tell him." 

Maya paused, and then shook her head. "Jasper's right. After the lock-down it'll be almost impossible to get them out. It's now or never." 

Not good odds. 

"Alright," Bellamy conceded. "But how do we-" 

A crash inside the room cut him off, and we all turned, guns raised, ready for anything. But it wasn't an enemy who walked out to greet us. 

"Monty!" Jasper exclaimed. 

Monty didn't look up at us. Instead, his shaking hands and horrified gaze were focused on the corpse of the woman who'd been courageous enough to hide him. 

"What is it?" I asked. "What's wrong?" 

"They knew about the Grounders," he sniffled. "That's why I hid. I didn't do anything to save the others. I let them kill Ms. Ryan." 

"What do you mean they knew about the Grounders?" I ventured, my throat tightening. I had a really horrible feeling about this. 

"It's on a soldier's walkie. They're going for the harvest chamber," Monty whispered. 

"If they take it, we lose everyone," Bellamy said, his voice breaking. He was right. And I was not going to let that happen. 

Acting completely on impulse, I raced through all the halls towards the harvest room. Adrenaline pounded so hard that I tore through the mountain faster than I'd ever run before. I wasn't even sure if Bellamy and the others were behind me. All I could think about was the harvest chamber. My people had to be in there. They had to be in there, and they had to be okay. 

When I got to the chamber, my heart sank. 

"No," I breathed, my throat tightening. Every single cage was empty, and there was no one to be found. No one but Maya's dad, shot dead. "NO. No!" 

I turned to relay the information back to the others, who I heard coming down the hall. But from the opposite direction, someone else was coming. I recognized the man in the guard's uniform. Emerson, I think he was. But what the fuck was he doing here? Lying in wait for stragglers, I supposed, when we thought we were safe due to the lock-down. 

Without thinking, I fired my gun at him, but I was so distraught both bullets ricocheted off the walls and clattered to the ground. And then I was empty. 

I turned to run, but he grabbed hold of my arm. Bellamy and the others were almost here. If I could just warn them, then they'd shoot Emerson and I'd be fine. 

"BELLAMY!" I screamed, trying with all my might to yank my elbow from his grip. Down the hall, I heard Bellamy call my name in response, but before I could utter another word, Emerson drew me into him and clamped his hand over my mouth. Panic exploded in my chest as he dragged me down the hall he'd come, away from my friends, away from salvation. 

I knew what was coming. But I couldn't fight him. I didn't have a gun, or my arrows, or my knife. My adrenaline reserve had practically run dry. For all the strength I possessed, driven by the consuming fire deep inside my soul, I couldn't fight this man off. 

I choked back another sob as he pulled a handgun from his belt and pressed it against my head. After everything I'd done, everything I'd been through, they were still going to win. They were going to take my bone marrow and then I was going to die. Without the Grounder army on the inside, we had no chance. I wished I could do more, but there was nothing left to do. 

It was over. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright y'all, one chapter left!! Hope you've been enjoying!


	16. Blood Must Have Blood - II

Everything led back to the dorm. Emerson dragged me all the way back there, and for the most part I had been compliant. Kicking and screaming would only have wasted my energy that could have been better spent elsewhere, to help my people inside the room. But now, as we drew ever closer, my fear slowly took over. I struggled against Emerson's iron grip but it was no use. All it accomplished was an angry grunt from him as he paraded me into the dorm. 

On the ground were a few people with bags over their heads. More of my people, I guessed. People they'd captured from outside the mountain. Atop a table in the center of the room was the body of one of my fellow people, his eyes wide open in fear, his mouth frozen in a scream. Dead. He was dead. We all would be soon. Scanning the faces of everyone lining the room, chained to the walls by their wrists, my heart sank. Raven and Wick were here. Miller. Harper. All of my friends. At the very least I could take comfort in the fact that none of them were Clarke or my father. 

"Got one more straggler," Emerson growled, shoving me forward. I fell to my knees beside the others in a line. 

Cage Wallace stared at me with a terrifying, greedy, rapture that made my stomach twist. Out of all the people in here, I had been one to defy him the most. I bet he couldn't wait to see the life leave my eyes. Well, I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of my terror. So I squared my shoulders, lifted my chin, and glared. 

"Take any losses?" Cage asked Emerson, surveying me and the others. 

"Not as many as they did, sir. But I'm afraid I'm the only one left who's been cured. Some of the kids are still missing. If you'd like, I can take a team in hazmats, we'll sweep the other levels." 

"No," Cage replied. "No more wasted lives. In forty-eight hours, we will all be on the ground. Take off their hoods."

One of the other guards removed the hoods one by one. Monroe. Miller's dad. Abby. And then...

A strangled scream escaped my throat. "Dad!" 

He turned to me, his eyes wide with terror. Not for him, I realized. For me. I leaped to my feet, tried to get to him, but one of the guards brought the butt of their gun down on my shoulder. Gasping, I fell back to the ground. 

"No!" My father yelled, getting to his feet. "Leave her alone!"

They brought the gun down on my father's back, and he crumpled forwards. Rage surged through me, and despite knowing they would only hit me again, I lunged for him. 

"Get your hands off him!" I seethed. Again, they brought the butt of the rifle down to subdue me. This time I tasted blood. 

"What is wrong with you people?" My father whispered. 

"Where's my daughter?" Abby spat. 

"She's talking about Clarke," Emerson explained. 

"I'm sorry it had to come to this," Cage said, eyeing me in a way that simultaneously made me want to punch him and curl into a ball. 

Guards yanked me to my feet and brought me to a pair of manacles. I dug my feet into the ground, resisting as much as I could, but in the end I lost. Cold metal bit into my wrists. Beside me, my father was strung up. I wanted to hold him, cry, have him tell me it will all be okay. But I knew it wouldn't be. We were both going to die, one having to watch the other. We'd already lost my mother. We didn't want to lose each other too. 

"We need another one," a guard said, when the next kid died on the table. 

Panic crawled up my throat as the guards perused the room, searching for another victim. And when they picked Raven, I screamed in protest. 

"NO!" Wick cried. "No, take me. Don't touch her. Don't touch her!" 

Raven fought viciously against them, but they zapped her with a shock baton and she went limp. They strapped her down on the table, and again, she tried to fight them, got in a good bite to one, but it was futile. I turned away as they started the marrow extraction process. Her screams were too much for me to bear, and I shifted closer to my father.

"Shh, it'll be okay," he soothed, as much as he could considering the situation. 

I shook my head, my throat tight, tears threatening to fall. "No it won't. It won't, Dad. We're all gonna die." 

He looked at me with a painful sorrow in his eyes. Both of us knew that to be the truth. "Just look at me, kid, alright? I love you." 

"I love you too," I whispered. 

Raven's screams quieted down after a while. Which wasn't comforting. Soon she'd be dead, and I'd have lost one of my best friends. 

But then the door burst open, and Cage stormed into the room, malice and rage swimming in his eyes, and a sorrow I recognized. The sorrow of losing a parent. 

"Take that one off the table," he growled, gesturing at Raven. And then he turned to me. Ice shot through my blood. "And put her on it." 

"No," I pleaded. I wasn't ready to die. I wasn't sure why he picked me when they hadn't even finished with Raven, but I guessed it had something to do with Clarke, and that loss Cage carried with him. Put me on the table, drill me, hurt me and in turn it would hurt all the people who had defied Cage the most. Bellamy. Clarke. Me. 

"No, please," My father begged, trying his best to shield me. "Hey! You don't have to do this! There has to be another way!" 

"There isn't," Cage replied coldly.

Two guards undid the cuffs around my wrists and dragged me to the table. I struggled, broke free of one, but it wasn't enough. 

"Let me go!" I screamed.

"No one has to die for bone marrow!" My father yelled. "We can donate it!" 

The guards lifted me up onto the table, and I thrashed, desperately trying to escape. But once they strapped me down, there was nothing I could do. Still, I fought with all that was left in me, doing as much as I could to hinder them. I was not going down without giving them hell. As they strapped the belt to lock down my neck, tears welled in my eyes.

"HEY WE CAN DONATE IT!" My father screamed, and the desperation in his voice broke my heart. He didn't deserve to see me die like this. 

"That'll never happen," Cage said. 

I turned my head so I could meet my father's eyes. But it wasn't comforting. Visceral terror and sorrow filled his eyes. 

The drilling came before I expected it to. Time stopped for a moment as the tip of the metal bit into my skin. I gasped. And then time resumed, and the excruciating pain that overcame me was blinding. Screams tore from my throat. Sharp, hot pain shot up and down my body, encompassed my hip. Tears streamed down my face. This pain was so foreign, so agonizing, I almost wished I were back being cut by the villagers of Tondc. It seemed to last forever, as if I were trapped in an endless loop of torture. 

Bellamy's face popped up in my mind's eye. Seeing him was all the comfort I needed to bravely enter the other world. And yet, it wasn't a distraction enough from my suffering. But I couldn't scream anymore. Exhaustion washed over my body, and I stared, vision blurry and unfocused, just wishing for it to be over. Sweat doused me, plastering my hair to my forehead, and my hip throbbed with searing pain. 

An alarm wailed. I could barely register it. Or anything. Panic spread through the room. But it wasn't from my people. It was among the mountain men. Despite my exhaustion, my agony, I smiled. Clarke and Bellamy had done something. They'd done something to save us all. 

Around me, the guards dropped to the ground. Radiation. They'd irradiated the level. Smart. My eyes fluttered closed, and my breathing grew shallow. Maybe it was too late for me to celebrate the victory. 

"Y/n," a voice whispered in my ear. I wasn't sure who it was. I wasn't sure of anything right now. "Hey, stay with me. Please!" 

Vaguely, I felt the restraints loosen around my wrists, my neck, my ankles. But I didn't move. Nothing responded. I couldn't do anything, but let my tears fall. Someone lifted me up, and shooting pain filled me. I groaned, but that was all I could manage. They pressed a kiss to my sweaty forehead, and then unconsciousness took hold of me. 

* * *

How long it was before I woke, I wasn't sure. But the sun was shining, warm and gentle on my bloodied face. Strength had been sapped from my being, and I could just barely move my stiff arms. Dull pain throbbed in my legs, my throat was raw, and every part of my body ached. Above me, thick, white clouds puffed across the blue sky. 

Sky. Sun. I was outside. If I had the energy to cry in relief I might have. Instead, I opted for a small smile and a deep, rattling breath that sent prickles of pain across my chest. 

"Hey, firecracker," Bellamy murmured. 

My eyes flickered to him. So he was the one who'd been carrying me. "Hey." 

I wrapped my arms around his neck and he shifted until I was more or less in a sitting position. Ahead of me, my father was walking beside Abby, hand in hand. Smiling, I leaned my head on Bellamy's shoulder. 

"You scared me for a moment," Bellamy said. "I thought I'd lost you." 

"Get it through your thick skull, Blake. You'll never lose me," I whispered, trying to keep my eyes open. I'd never been so exhausted, so drained before. I just wanted to sleep for a week. 

He chuckled, and kissed my forehead. "Still. Seeing you on that table, that was the worst thing I've ever experienced." 

"But you saved me. I wouldn't still be alive without you." 

"Nor I you. You've saved my ass a few times." 

I laughed softly. "True. You'd be a disaster without me." 

"Alright, alright," Bellamy conceded, smiling. "Guess we need each other." 

"Guess we do," I replied, but that was about all I could say. 

Bellamy carried me the rest of the way to Camp Jaha in comfortable silence. Being so close to him, as always, was pleasant. And his scent was familiar. Home. 

At the gate to the camp, we stopped. Everyone else had entered the camp, but Clarke hung back. I looked up at Bellamy, and he nodded. I wanted to talk to her. Thank her for everything she'd done to save all of our people. 

"I think we deserve a drink," I said, when we stopped beside her. My voice wasn't rasping anymore, but it was thick and strange. I could really do with some alcohol after all that. And since she had irradiated the mountain, killing everyone inside, I thought she needed it more than me. 

Clarke nodded. "Have one for me." 

"Hey, we can get through this," Bellamy reassured her. 

"I'm not going in." 

I furrowed my eyebrows. What was she talking about? We needed her. I needed her.

"Clarke, if you need forgiveness, we'll give that to you," Bellamy said. "You're forgiven." 

Clarke pursed her lips. 

"Please come in," I murmured. "Clarke, you're my sister. Perhaps not by blood, but by covenant. I can't lose you." 

She offered me a small, apologetic smile. "Take care of them for me." 

"Clarke," I protested, trying to keep my voice steady. 

"Seeing their faces every day, it's gonna remind me of what I did to get them here." 

"What we did," Bellamy argued. "You don't have to do this alone." 

Clarke paused, took a moment to stare longingly at everyone in the camp, her mother in particular. "I bear it so they don't have to." 

"Where are you gonna go?" I asked. 

"I don't know." 

Sorrow clenched at my heart. After everything we'd been through, I was still going to lose one of the most important people in my life. Clarke must have sensed the melancholy I felt, because she kissed me on the cheek, and dropped my ring into my palm, that I'd entrusted her to protect. Now, though, I felt like she needed it more than me. 

"May we meet again," she whispered. 

And then she was gone. For a moment, we watched her walk into the woods. 

"We will," I murmured, at her disappearing figure. 

Bellamy turned and carried me into Camp Jaha. Bittersweet relief washed over me. I may have just spoken to one of my best friends for the last time, but she'd made a sacrifice so I could be here with all my other friends. With Bellamy. And I was eternally grateful. 

"Ready for sleep?" Bellamy asked, and I opened my eyes again. I hadn't even noticed they'd been closed. 

I nodded. "Yeah, Bel. I'm ready." 

He gently set me down on a bed. Stroking my hair, he smiled down at me. Even though it was incredibly painful to do so, I sat up, and kissed him. 

"I love you." 

Bellamy initiated another kiss, one that sent shivers of pleasure down my spine, one that took away all my pain, my grief. "I love you too. Now get some rest." 

Nodding, I lay back down on the mattress, and almost immediately fell asleep. We'd made it through. We were alive. We were at peace. 

We'd made it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright that's it y'all! The third in the series will be up shortly thanks to the fact that pretty much every school district and university is closed in Minnesota because of the arctic cold, but for now, hope you enjoyed this one! See you soon!


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